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spurious correlations

correlation is not causation

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A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Aubrey and the second variable is Exxon Mobil's stock price (XOM). The chart goes from 2002 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #4,112

Aubrey's Energizing Effect: An Examination of the Relationship Between the Popularity of the Name Aubrey and Exxon Mobil's Stock Price
Parents naming their kids Aubrey are investing more in fancy cars, leading to an increase in gas consumption and therefore, an uptick in demand for Exxon Mobil's products. Looks like the name Aubrey is driving more than just social media popularity!



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Aubrey · all first names
Exxon Mobil's stock price (XOM) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is US household spending on processed fruits and the second variable is GMO use in cotton in Louisiana. The chart goes from 2000 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,848

Feeling Ginned Up: The Cotton Connection Between GMOs and Processed Fruit Spending in US Households
As households spent less on processed fruits, there was a decrease in fruit sticker production. This led to a nationwide sticker shortage. To fill the sticker gap, cotton in Louisiana was genetically modified to produce sticker-like tags, but it unexpectedly led to a decrease in GMO use in cotton.



What else correlates?
US household spending on processed fruits · all weird & wacky
GMO use in cotton in Louisiana · all food
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Air pollution in Des Moines and the second variable is The number of postmasters in Iowa. The chart goes from 2003 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,461

Air-Mail Pollution: A Postmasterful Analysis of the Relationship Between Air Pollution in Des Moines and the Number of Postmasters in Iowa
As the air cleared in Des Moines, it seems the postmasters weren't the only ones feeling a bit "un-stationed." It's possible that with cleaner air, postal workers and machinery were operating more efficiently, leading to a reduced need for postmasters statewide. It's a classic case of smog being the only thing propping up those postage-oriented job positions!



What else correlates?
Air pollution in Des Moines · all weather
The number of postmasters in Iowa · all cccupations
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Biomass power generated in Philippines and the second variable is Google searches for 'avocado toast'. The chart goes from 2009 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,705

Smashing Avocado Toast and Flipping Biomass: An Unlikely Connection
The avocado trees were loving the sustainable energy vibes and producing extra delicious avocados for the toast!



What else correlates?
Biomass power generated in Philippines · all energy
Google searches for 'avocado toast' · all google searches
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the 'expanding brain' meme and the second variable is Votes for Democratic Senators in Mississippi. The chart goes from 2006 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #4,852

Mirthful Memes and Mississippi's Senatorial Selections: A Playful Probing of the Expanding Brain Phenomenon
As the 'expanding brain' meme gained traction, it sparked a surge in cognitive activity, leading Mississippi Democrats to make the biggest brain move of all: casting their votes for Senators who aligned with their values. It's like they say, when the expanding brain meme goes up, Democratic turnout in Mississippi goes up even more!



What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'expanding brain' meme · all memes
Votes for Democratic Senators in Mississippi · all elections
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Alix and the second variable is Carjackings in the US. The chart goes from 1995 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,912

The Alix Paradox: An Exploration of the Correlation between the Popularity of the Name Alix and Carjackings in the United States
As the name Alix fell out of favor, there were fewer people inadvertently summoning cars with their mere presence. This led to a decrease in opportunities for carjackings across the country.



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Alix · all first names
Carjackings in the US · all weird & wacky
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The distance between Saturn and the Sun and the second variable is Baidu's stock price (BIDU). The chart goes from 2006 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,339

Shining a Light on Stellar Stock Performance: The Celestial Connection Between Saturn's Distance and Baidu's Stock Price
As the gap widened, Saturn started to exude a new gravitational pull on Earth, leading to a rise in fortune for Baidu. It seems the farther Saturn shined, the more Baidu's stock aligned. This celestial separation somehow cosmically boosted Baidu's performance, proving that even in the stock market, space matters.



What else correlates?
The distance between Saturn and the Sun · all planets
Baidu's stock price (BIDU) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the 'red pill blue pill' meme and the second variable is Google searches for 'i am tired'. The chart goes from 2006 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,208

Catching Z's or Searching 'Red Pill Blue Pill' Please? Exploring the Correlation Between Internet Memes and Fatigue
The 'red pill blue pill' meme led to heated debates and late-night pondering, prompting people to stay up and overthink their life choices. Now they're realizing that the real struggle isn't choosing a pill, but finding the energy to get through the day. Remember, sometimes the meme chooses you!



What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'red pill blue pill' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'i am tired' · all google searches
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of movies Nicolas Cage appeared in and the second variable is Votes for the Libertarian Presidential candidate in Georgia. The chart goes from 1980 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,838

The Cage Effect: Nicolas Cage's Movie Appearances and Libertarian Votes in Georgia
As Nicolas Cage's on-screen presence grew, so did the desire for a truly independent choice, leading Georgians to vote for the Libertarian candidate in hopes of experiencing a National Treasure of a leader who could Face/Off against conventional politics, Con Air their way to smaller government, and perhaps even leave behind a Ghost Rider legacy of individual freedoms. Cage's cinematic prolificness may have ignited a Leaving Las Vegas effect on voters, driving them to seek a Adaptation of the status quo, and ultimately, to declare their declaration of independence at the polls. It seems that in this case, the Cagelier the choice, the more it Con Air-inspiringly led to a desire for political Face/Off... or maybe, just maybe, it's all a part of the Cage's master plan to one day play the lead role in "The Rock: Presidential Edition".



What else correlates?
The number of movies Nicolas Cage appeared in · all films & actors
Votes for the Libertarian Presidential candidate in Georgia · all elections
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Gerard and the second variable is Air pollution in Anchorage. The chart goes from 1980 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,018

Clear Air, Gerard's Flair: A Tale of Anchorage's Name and Air
Fewer people were pronouncing the hard "G" in his name, leading to a reduction in gas emissions during speech.



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Gerard · all first names
Air pollution in Anchorage · all weather
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey and the second variable is Barclays' stock price (BCS). The chart goes from 2004 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,268

Forest and Conservation Workers: A Tree-mendous Impact on Barclays' Stock Price
As the number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey decreases, there are fewer people available to stop the spread of invasive financial weed species, leading to a decrease in natural stock value and ultimately causing Barclays' stock price (BCS) to decrease.



What else correlates?
The number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey · all cccupations
Barclays' stock price (BCS) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Highway diesel consumption in US and the second variable is Popularity of the 'willy wonka' meme. The chart goes from 2006 to 2011, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,207

Diesel and Memes: Evaluating the Surprising Relationship Between Highway Diesel Consumption in the US and the Popularity of the 'Willy Wonka' Meme
Fewer diesel fumes meant less air pollution, leading to clearer thinking. With clearer thinking, people realized that the Willy Wonka meme was overused and not as funny as they once thought.



What else correlates?
Highway diesel consumption in US · all weird & wacky
Popularity of the 'willy wonka' meme · all memes
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is GMO use in soybeans in Iowa and the second variable is Geothermal power generated in Russia. The chart goes from 2000 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,605

Soylent Green and Clean Power: Unveiling the Soy-Ful Connection between GMO Soybeans in Iowa and Geothermal Energy in Russia
As the GMO soybeans in Iowa flourished, they unknowingly formed a vast underground network, inadvertently connecting with the extensive root systems of Russian dandelions. This unprecedented transcontinental plant communication created a synergy that boosted geothermal power production in Russia. Essentially, it was a case of soy-powered dandelion technology, proving once and for all that when life gives you GMO soybeans, you also get a whole new way to generate energy, brought to you by the collaborative efforts of international flora.



What else correlates?
GMO use in soybeans in Iowa · all food
Geothermal power generated in Russia · all energy
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Sarah and the second variable is Google searches for 'learn spanish'. The chart goes from 2004 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #4,240

The Sarah Flare: A Correlation Between the Name and Desire to Parle Español
Fewer Saras were available to serenade with "Despacito," leading to a nationwide decrease in Spanish language inspiration. The lack of Sarahs to impress with basic Spanish phrases like "Hola" and "¿Cómo estás?" meant that the motivation to learn Spanish dwindled. Without a Sarah to woo with their limited Spanish skills, people just didn't see the point in mastering the language. It seems like Sarah had unknowingly become the unofficial ambassador for Spanish language enthusiasts everywhere!



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Sarah · all first names
Google searches for 'learn spanish' · all google searches
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The distance between Neptune and the Sun and the second variable is NASA's budget as a percentage of the total US Federal Budget. The chart goes from 1975 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,033

Astrodollars: Exploring the Celestial and Fiscal Orbits - The Relationship Between Neptune's Distance from the Sun and NASA's Budget as a Percentage of the US Federal Budget
As Neptune moved closer, it got too close for comfort, creating gravitational budget cuts at NASA. The astronomical expenses simply couldn't be kept afloat, sinking their funding to new depths. It seems even in space, the budget has no limit - it's truly out of this world!



What else correlates?
The distance between Neptune and the Sun · all planets
NASA's budget as a percentage of the total US Federal Budget · all weird & wacky
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the 'not sure if' meme and the second variable is UFO sightings in Alaska. The chart goes from 2006 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #4,987

Mystery of the Meme: Mutual Links Between ‘not sure if’ Popularity and UFO Sightings in Alaska
As the 'not sure if' meme gained popularity, it inadvertently transmitted cryptic signals into outer space, piquing the curiosity of extraterrestrial beings. These aliens, mistaking the memes for a form of human communication, decided to investigate the source of these perplexing messages, leading to an unusual surge in UFO sightings in Alaska. The 'not sure if' meme: Confusing humans and aliens alike.



What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'not sure if' meme · all memes
UFO sightings in Alaska · all random state specific
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of movies Don Cheadle appeared in and the second variable is Points allowed by the Los Angeles Chargers. The chart goes from 2017 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,874

Linking Don Cheadle Appearances to the Defensive Dilemma: A Silver-Screen Statistical Study of the Los Angeles Chargers
Every time Don Cheadle is in a movie, the Chargers' opponents can't help but be starstruck, leading to a dramatic decrease in their ability to score points. It's like the Chargers' defense is the real Avengers, and Don Cheadle's on-screen presence is their secret weapon against the opposing offense! It's a blockbuster success for the Chargers' defense every time Don Cheadle graces the silver screen.



What else correlates?
The number of movies Don Cheadle appeared in · all films & actors
Points allowed by the Los Angeles Chargers · all sports
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Why this works

  1. Data dredging: I have 25,237 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 636,906,169 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Fun fact: the chart used on the wikipedia page to demonstrate data dredging is also from me. I've been being naughty with data since 2014.
    Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead tossed a bunch of data in a blender to see what correlations would shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
  2. Lack of causal connection: There is probably no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
    This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
  3. Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. You will often see trend-lines form. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A naive p-value calculation does not take this into account. You will calculate a lower chance of "randomly" achieving the result than represents reality.

    To be more specific: p-value tests are probability values, where you are calculating the probability of achieving a result at least as extreme as you found completely by chance. When calculating a p-value, you need to assert how many "degrees of freedom" your variable has. I count each year (minus one) as a "degree of freedom," but this is misleading for continuous variables.

    This kind of thing can creep up on you pretty easily when using p-values, which is why it's best to take it as "one of many" inputs that help you assess the results of your analysis.
  4. Y-axes doesn't start at zero: I truncated the Y-axes of the graphs above. I also used a line graph, which makes the visual connection stand out more than it deserves. Nothing against line graphs. They are great at telling a story when you have linear data! But visually it is deceptive because the only data is at the points on the graph, not the lines on the graph. In between each point, the data could have been doing anything. Like going for a random walk by itself!
    Mathematically what I showed is true, but it is intentionally misleading. If you click on any of the charts that abuse this, you can scroll down to see a version that starts at zero.
  5. Confounding variable: Confounding variables (like global pandemics) will cause two variables to look connected when in fact a "sneaky third" variable is influencing both of them behind the scenes.
  6. Outliers: Some datasets here have outliers which drag up the correlation. In concept, "outlier" just means "way different than the rest of your dataset." When calculating a correlation like this, they are particularly impactful because a single outlier can substantially increase your correlation.

    Because this page is automatically generated, I don't know whether any of the charts displayed on it have outliers. I'm just a footnote. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    I intentionally mishandeled outliers, which makes the correlation look extra strong.
  7. Low n: There are not many data points included in some of these charts. You can do analyses with low ns! But you shouldn't data dredge with a low n.
    Even if the p-value is high, we should be suspicious of using so few datapoints in a correlation.

Pro-tip: click on any correlation to see:

Project by Tyler Vigen
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