27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

about | twitter | email | subscribe

Now a ridiculous book!

Spurious charts
Fascinating factoids
Commentary in the footnotes

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

US spending on science, space, and technology

correlates with
Suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation
Correlation: 99.79% (r=0.99789126)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
$30 billion 10000 suicides
ecneics no gnidneps SU

sedicius gnignaH
$25 billion 8000 suicides

$20 billion 6000 suicides

$15 billion 4000 suicides

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Hanging suicides US spending on science

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 1/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Number of people who drowned by falling into a pool

correlates with
Films Nicolas Cage appeared in
Correlation: 66.6% (r=0.666004)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
140 drownings 6 films
sgninword loop gnimmiwS

120 drownings 4 films

egaC salohciN
100 drownings 2 films

80 drownings 0 films
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Nicholas Cage Swimming pool drownings

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Internet Movie Database

Per capita cheese consumption

correlates with
Number of people who died by becoming tangled in their bedsheets
Correlation: 94.71% (r=0.947091)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

800 deaths
33lbs

sgnilgnat teehsdeB
demusnoc eseehC

31.5lbs 600 deaths

30lbs 400 deaths

28.5lbs 200 deaths

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Bedsheet tanglings Cheese consumed

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 2/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Divorce rate in Maine

correlates with
Per capita consumption of margarine
Correlation: 99.26% (r=0.992558)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

4.95 per 1,000

8lbs
eniaM ni etar ecroviD

demusnoc eniragraM
4.62 per 1,000
6lbs

4.29 per 1,000 4lbs

3.96 per 1,000 2lbs

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Margarine consumed Divorce rate in Maine

tylervigen.com
Data sources: National Vital Statistics Reports and U.S. Department of Agriculture

Age of Miss America

correlates with
Murders by steam, hot vapours and hot objects
Correlation: 87.01% (r=0.870127)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
25 yrs 8 murders

23.75 yrs
aciremA ssiM fo egA

maets yb sredruM
6 murders
22.5 yrs

21.25 yrs
4 murders
20 yrs

18.75 yrs 2 murders

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Murders by steam Age of Miss America

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Wikipedia and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 3/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Total revenue generated by arcades

correlates with
Computer science doctorates awarded in the US
Correlation: 98.51% (r=0.985065)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
$2 billion 2000 degrees

setarotcod ecneics retupmoC

eunever edacrA

1500 degrees

$1.5 billion

1000 degrees

$1 billion 500 degrees

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Computer science doctorates Arcade revenue

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau and National Science Foundation

Worldwide non-commercial space launches

correlates with
Sociology doctorates awarded (US)
Correlation: 78.92% (r=0.78915)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
sehcnual ecaps laicremmoc-non ediwdlroW

60 Launches 700 Degrees awarded

)SU( dedrawa setarotcod ygoloicoS

50 Launches

600 Degrees awarded

40 Launches

30 Launches 500 Degrees awarded

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Sociology doctorates awarded (US) Worldwide non-commercial space launches

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Federal Aviation Administration and National Science Foundation

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 4/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Per capita consumption of mozzarella cheese

correlates with
Civil engineering doctorates awarded
Correlation: 95.86% (r=0.958648)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
12lbs 1000 degrees
noitpmusnoc eseehc allerazzoM

setarotcod gnireenignE
11lbs 800 degrees

10lbs 600 degrees

9lbs 400 degrees

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Engineering doctorates Mozzarella cheese consumption

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation

People who drowned after falling out of a fishing boat

correlates with
Marriage rate in Kentucky
Correlation: 95.24% (r=0.952407)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
20 deaths 11 per 1,000

10 per 1,000

segairram ykcutneK
shtaed taob gnihsiF

10 deaths 9 per 1,000

8 per 1,000

0 deaths 7 per 1,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Kentucky marriages Fishing boat deaths

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and National Vital Statistics Reports

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 5/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

US crude oil imports from Norway

correlates with
Drivers killed in collision with railway train
Correlation: 95.45% (r=0.954509)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
150 million barrels 100 deaths
yawroN morf stropmi lio edurc SU

snoisilloc niart yawliaR

100 million barrels 80 deaths

50 million barrels 60 deaths

0 million barrels 40 deaths

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Railway train collisions US crude oil imports from Norway

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Dept. of Energy and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Per capita consumption of chicken

correlates with
Total US crude oil imports
Correlation: 89.99% (r=0.899899)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
65lbs 3.8B barrels
demusnoc nekcihC

stropmi lio edurC

60lbs 3.6B barrels

55lbs 3.4B barrels

50lbs 3.2B barrels

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Crude oil imports Chicken consumed

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dept. of Energy

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 6/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Number people who drowned while in a swimming-pool

correlates with
Power generated by US nuclear power plants
Correlation: 90.12% (r=0.901179)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
700 deaths 850 BkWh
sgninword loop-gnimmiwS

stnalp rewop raelcuN

600 deaths 800 BkWh

500 deaths 750 BkWh

400 deaths 700 BkWh

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Nuclear power plants Swimming-pool drownings

tylervigen.com
Data sources: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Dept. of Energy

Japanese passenger cars sold in the US

correlates with
Suicides by crashing of motor vehicle
Correlation: 93.57% (r=0.935701)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
140 suicides

1200 thousand cars

gnihsarc yb sediciuS
dlos srac esenapaJ

120 suicides
1000 thousand cars

100 suicides
800 thousand cars

600 thousand cars 80 suicides

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Suicides by crashing Japanese cars sold

tylervigen.com
Data sources: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 7/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Letters in Winning Word of Scripps National Spelling Bee

correlates with
Number of people killed by venomous spiders
Correlation: 80.57% (r=0.8057)

sredips suomonev yb dellik elpoep fo rebmuN

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
15 letters 15 deaths
drow gninniw eeB gnillepS

10 deaths

10 letters

5 deaths

5 letters 0 deaths
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Number of people killed by venomous spiders Spelling Bee winning word

tylervigen.com
Data sources: National Spelling Bee and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Math doctorates awarded

correlates with
Uranium stored at US nuclear power plants
Correlation: 95.23% (r=0.952257)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
2000 degrees 100 million pounds

stnalp rewop SU muinarU

setarotcod htaM

1600 degrees 80 million pounds

1200 degrees 60 million pounds

800 degrees 40 million pounds

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Uranium US power plants Math doctorates

tylervigen.com
Data sources: National Science Foundation and Dept. of Energy

More? Check out the book!

Spurious charts
Fascinating factoids
Commentary in the footnotes

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 8/9
27/6/22, 13:11 Spurious Correlations

Other spurious things

Discover a correlation: find new correlations.
Go to the next page of charts, and keep clicking "next" to get through all 30,000.
View the sources of every statistic in the book.

spurious media llc | about | twitter | email | subscribe | creative commons license

www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 9/9