Hacker News Reader

Somebody posts this every single time any statistical study is published, regardless of whether the study actually contains a claim or causation of not.

These posts must be causing the statistical studies!

That may well be true.

In this case, the link was to an article, not a study. The article clearly implies causation.

If you read the article:

> Correlation is not causation of course (there may, for example, be a third variable affecting both pollution and crime) and the authors are cautious not to speculate about the precise mechanism by which contaminated air might lead to more rapes or robberies.

From the paper's abstract, though, "The results suggest that a 10% reduction in daily PM2.5 and ozone could save $1.4 billion in crime costs per year, a previously overlooked cost associated with pollution." This statement sounds like it's implying a causal relationship to me.

FTFA:

> Correlation is not causation of course (there may, for example, be a third variable affecting both pollution and crime) and the authors are cautious not to speculate about the precise mechanism by which contaminated air might lead to more rapes or robberies.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com