Pirates’ downfall causes global warming

Did you know the downfall of pirates caused global warming?

It's true! Look at the data

The fewer pirates there are, the warmer it gets. Or do pirates hang up the dashing coat and hat when it gets too warm 🤔

Of course not. Pirates and global warming can't possibly be connected.

They're correlated though ...

Here's another one

The more money arcades make, the more people get a doctorate in computer science. Okay maybe those are a little connected. 😅

Data visualization is fun like that. You can show the truth in data, but you can also use data to lie a little.

You know what they say

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

😁

Spurious correlations is a wonderful website full of fun correlations. Did you know Nicolas Cage appearing in movies makes people drown in swimming pools? Data says so.

Here's some of my favorite data visualization from around the web. Wonderful insights, great learnings, and def no trickery.

First is the Wealth & Health of Nations inspired by Gapminder, recreated in D3.

It talks about the gap between first and third world nations and how it has all but disappeared. Even the poorest nations are better off now than the richest nations were 100 years ago.

Remember the cholera stuff from Monday?

Hans Rosling's 2006 TED talk talks about this dataviz and it is amazing. You should watch it :)

A more recent example of an amazing data visualization used for social good is Bussed Out from The Guardian.

An amazing piece of interactive data journalism. Scroll through the story and the graphs move before your eyes to match what you're reading.

Amazing.

On a lighter note here's a 3D dataviz citation network from Micah Stubbs. He's cool

And who could forget that time Todd Schneider analyzed 1.1 billion NYC Taxi and Uber rides?

Data truly is beautiful 😍 what's a cool dataviz you've seen? tweet me

Cheers, ~Swizec

PS: I'm announcing something special on Monday, hang tight