The Choking Game: A Lesson in Correlation and Causation   There
is a striking correlation between the decline of pirates and
increasing global temperatures. Obviously the solution to combat
global warming is not to replenish the population of pirates,
but this is a great example illustrating that correlation does
not always imply causation. Sometimes a correlation is so
ridiculous that no one would even consider equating it with
causality (another equally ludicrous example is the correlation
between ice cream sales and crime rates). Sometimes it’s a bit
more subtle, like the correlation between the use of marijuana
and other drugs, and the accompanying theory that marijuana is a
gateway drug bound to turn all users into ravenous heroin
addicts (while this theory is not supported by science, those
responsible for making and enforcing drug policies can’t seem to
leave it behind). But either way, it’s always important to try
and tease out correlation from causation.  Photo courtesy of:
Some studies are intended