Thread by @rajbhagatt

#Thread: Map preparation is an easy job but meaningfull interpretation of spatial data & analysis behind maps is NOT. It requires good understanding of data & their representation of ground reality

Snapshot of misleading/fake correlation that has been circulating

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The fake/misleading correlation implies that the missing people data locations in US correlates with location of Caves in US (indicating that they went missing in caves)

Map in top claims to be missing people location
Bottom Map is cave location

Discussing why its not real

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The original version of the map (in top) is not representing all missing people in US but infact a rough representation of people gone missing in National parks, remote areas alone (where caves are there anyway) i.e no data from cities or other rural places

3/n

But if you notice that the original map didn't have any black dots. These are cave entrances that have been added to the map by someone.

What does that mean?
The top and bottom map show same data (cave)!

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If you have same data on both sides, then of course it would correlate!!!

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There was another map that claims that it correlates with Black Bear range instead

Of course it would correlate, bcz missing people data is only for parks, protected areas etc where bears live

It's not bcz of Black bears, its bcz data is collected only from those places

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Maps are no different from Statistics and they can be manipulated..

Rephrasing Benjamin Disraeli's quotes:
“There are three types of lies -- lies, maps, and statistics.”🤣

But do investigate all the time!

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Snopes says it's mixture. Data is of course not having errors, but the interpretation is the key here

snopes.com/fact-check/mis…