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US Alcohol Consumption vs US Resident Patent Applications

US Alcohol Consumption and US Resident Patent Applications correlate at r = +0.85 over 21 years (2000–2020), p < 0.0001. With the time trend removed, r = -0.16. Likely spurious (shared time trend).

Verdict: Likely spurious (shared time trend). Both series mostly just trend over time. After removing that trend the correlation collapses to -0.16 — the relationship is probably coincidental, not causal.

Pearson r
+0.85
p-value
< 0.0001
Years compared (n)
21 (2000–2020)
95% confidence interval
0.65 to 0.94
Correlation with the time trend removed
-0.16

Sources

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