Exposing the Lunacy of the Lunar Effect 1

The sight of a full moon riding high in the sky on a cloudless night brings to mind beauty, the harvest, and poetic thoughts, but it also reminds us of legends of strange things that happen during a full moon. Some people believe that the full moon affects humans and animals. Temporary insanity, violence, car accidents, animal bites, and births all increase when the moon is full… or do they? While belief in the lunar effect is widespread, there is little evidence to suggest it is a real phenomenon.

2

One argument commonly put forth in favor of the lunar effect is that tides are higher when the moon is full. The human body is mostly water. If the moon can affect an entire ocean, surely it affects us too. This line of thinking is problematic for several reasons. First, the water of the ocean is not confined within a small space in the same way that the water inside the human body is. Second, the gravitational pull the moon exerts on any objects here on Earth is actually very weak. Finally, the highest tides occur not only during the full moon, but also the new moon. If the lunar effect is real, then it should logically also be observable during the new moon.

3

The results of some studies have suggested that animals are more aggressive (and more likely to bite) during a full moon, and that the number of births also peaks around this time, but they are the exception. As shown in the table below, many other investigations have failed to find any correlation between these events.

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4

It is true that the full moon can interfere with sleep, but this was mainly a problem before artificial lighting. There is no mystery here. People tend to sleep best when it is dark. A full moon makes for a brighter night, so people don’t sleep as well. A streetlight shining into someone’s bedroom window would likely produce exactly the same result. The other beliefs about the lunar effect are largely based on isolated incidents, anecdotes, and fictional films and television programs. Stories about weird and mysterious occurrences during the full moon make for entertaining tales, but the lunar effect is nothing more than a myth.

Which of the following sentences from Exposing the Lunacy of the Lunar Effect support the inference that people tend to invent ideas about the moon? Select ALL that apply.

A
The sight of a full moon riding high in the sky on a cloudless night brings to mind beauty, the harvest, and poetic thoughts, but it also reminds us of legends of strange things that happen during a full moon.

B
If the lunar effect is real, then it should logically also be observable during the new moon.

C
The results of some studies have suggested that animals are more aggressive (and more likely to bite) during a full moon, and that the number of births also peaks around this time, but they are the exception.

D
A streetlight shining into someone’s bedroom window would likely produce exactly the same result.

E
The other beliefs about the lunar effect are largely based on isolated incidents, anecdotes, and fictional films and television programs.