# Better than xkcd: A fun site of statistics about unrelated stuff

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-than-xkcd-a-fun-site-of-statistics-about-unrelated-stuff/999240>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Tags:** ai\
**Created:** [March 23, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-than-xkcd-a-fun-site-of-statistics-about-unrelated-stuff/999240 "2024-03-23T09:23:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-than-xkcd-a-fun-site-of-statistics-about-unrelated-stuff/999240/1 "2024-03-23T09:23:16Z")

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I just discovered a humorous site by a guy who uses AI to search data of totally unrelated subjects and find silly statistical correlations. [https://tylervigen.com/](https://tylervigen.com/)

For example, did you know that there is a correlation between the number of associates degrees earned in the liberal arts, and the number of google searches for "tummy ache "?  
.[Associates degrees awarded in Liberal arts correlates with Google searches for 'tummy ache'](https://www.tylervigen.com/spurious/correlation/1530_associates-degrees-awarded-in-liberal-arts_correlates-with_google-searches-for-tummy-ache)

Oh, and there is a correlation between sales of margarine and the divorce rate in Maine.  
And hundreds of other examples. 🙂

After drawing a graph (xkcd style), the site then produces an AI-generated “scholarly” paper.  
If you click on “data details” under each graph it shows you how it works, and has a “try it yourself” explanation, showing the Python code you can run.

Have fun!

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-than-xkcd-a-fun-site-of-statistics-about-unrelated-stuff/999240/2 "2024-03-23T13:52:47Z")

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Sounds sorta like an audience participation version of the **[IgNoble awards and the Annals of Improbable Research](https://improbable.com/)**.

Should be fun.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-than-xkcd-a-fun-site-of-statistics-about-unrelated-stuff/999240/3 "2024-03-24T00:12:28Z")

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Does it always use years as the independent variable?