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Beer-Drinking Scientist Debunks Productivity Correlation

Posted by kdawson on from the sipping-a-magnificent-pacific-northwest-microbrew-porter dept.

austinpoet writes in with a blog post debunking the theory we discussed a few days back that scientists' beer consumption is linearly correlated with the quality of their work. Chris Mack, Gentleman Scientist and beer drinker, has analyzed the paper and found it is severely flawed. From his analysis: "The discovered linear relationship between beer consumption and scientific output had a correlation coefficient (R-squared) of only about 0.5 — not very high by my standards, though I suspect many biologists would be happy to get one that high in their work... Thus, the entire study came down to only one conclusion: the five worst ornithologists in the Czech Republic drank a lot of beer."

12 of 130 comments (clear)

  1. Simply put by schnikies79 · · Score: 5, Funny

    beer > coffee/caffeine

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    Gone!
    1. Re:Simply put by explosivejared · · Score: 5, Funny

      beer > coffee/caffeine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> girls

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      I got a catholic block.
    2. Re:Simply put by edwardpickman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Beer=Pretty Girl>Morning=Ugly Girl

  2. In Other news by omarmarosh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists Claim there is a direct correlation b/w pot smokers and an amazing talent to link string theory with life on mars

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    too scared to forget random user names
    1. Re:In Other news by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Funny

      Scientists Claim there is a direct correlation b/w pot smokers and an amazing talent to link string theory with life on mars


      That was based on a misquote. The original conversation was 'Dude...do you think they have string cheese on Mars...like that would be so coool. Pass the Doritos?'

  3. Re:Hmm... do we need either of these studies? by Tranzistors · · Score: 5, Funny

    When bored, hackers write viruses, scientists - papers.

    Disclaimer, I am non of the above.

  4. Re:Hmm... do we need either of these studies? by ArsonSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think what you refer to is known as the "Ballmer Peak" shown on this graph:

    Here

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    Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
  5. Sketch... by amccaf1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    [...] the five worst ornithologists in the Czech Republic drank a lot of beer [...]


    This has to be a lost Monty Python sketch, right?
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    "Flag on the moon. How did it get there?"
    1. Re:Sketch... by darkfish32 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm pretty sure, knowing the Czechs, that the five best drank their fair amount as well.

  6. We all know what to do now: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    More research is needed.

  7. Re:xkcd was there first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    The comic xkcd was there first and called this effect the Ballmer Peak.

    "Ballmer peak" is, FYI, a joke that's going over the heads of all you science-illiterate server monkeys.

  8. Re:Not only that by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 5, Funny

    In order to find a correlation where the input IV (beer consumption)


    If you consume beer through an IV I think you're a different type of drinker.
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    Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx