Dr. Obvious, PhD

Katherine Mangu-Ward | January 25, 2007

Drudge links to this study in the Journal of Affective Disorders with the teaser "Global Warming Linked to 'Enhanced Risk of Suicide'..."

While I love Drudge's shamelessly inaccurate tags as much as the next gal, this is too much. Here's the main finding:

For males, increasing anomalies in monthly average temperatures associated to a higher monthly suicide mean from May to August and, to a lower extent, in November and December. In January, on the other hand, increasing anomalies in monthly average temperatures appeared to be coupled to a lower number of suicides. For females, the links between temperature and suicides are less consistent than for males, and sometimes have a reverse sign, too.

In short, really long, hot summers make some guys a little nuts, and warmer winters make people a little happier. Plus, the data set is composed solely of Italians, a notoriously emotionally unstable people.

For my take on another dumb study on suicide rates--conservative governments apparently make Brits suicidal--go here.