Global Temperature Anomaly vs Worldwide Major Earthquakes (M5+)

Global Temperature Anomaly and Worldwide Major Earthquakes (M5+) correlate at r = +0.58 over 66 years (1960–2025), p < 0.0001. With the time trend removed, r = -0.47. Direction flips without the trend.

Verdict: Direction flips without the trend. The raw correlation is 0.58, but once each series' time trend is removed it becomes -0.47. The year-to-year movements run the opposite way to the long-run trends, so the headline number is misleading.

Pearson r: +0.58
p-value: < 0.0001
Years compared (n): 66 (1960–2025)
95% confidence interval: 0.39 to 0.72
Correlation with the time trend removed: -0.47

Sources

Global Temperature Anomaly (°C vs 1901–2000): NOAA NCEI. Annual global land and ocean surface temperature departure from the 1901–2000 average (NOAA NCEI).
Worldwide Major Earthquakes (M5+) (earthquakes per year): USGS. Annual worldwide count of magnitude 5+ earthquakes (USGS ComCat).

Related pairs

Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs Global Temperature Anomaly (r = +0.97)
Global Temperature Anomaly vs US GDP per Capita (r = +0.97)
Global Temperature Anomaly vs US GDP (current US$) (r = +0.96)
Global Temperature Anomaly vs US Population (r = +0.95)
Global Temperature Anomaly vs US Cereal Yield (r = +0.94)
Global Temperature Anomaly vs Atmospheric Methane (global) (r = +0.94)

Correlation does not imply causation. How the verdict is worked out.