Lunar effect
From RationalWiki
This topic is a pseudoscience, and is not accepted by the scientific community as a valid discipline.
Although it may use scientific terminology, it does not use scientific methodology.
Remember: just because it sounds right doesn't mean it's actually right.
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The lunar effect is the pseudoscientific belief that behavior (usually deviant) correlates with the phases and position of the moon. Some people claim that the moon affects the water in your body the same way it affects tides. This is not true whatsoever.[1] Unfortunately, some people do believe in the effects of the moon.[2][3][4][5] The word lunatic derives from the belief that staring at the full moon could cause one to go mad.
In the 1880's, Charles Hyde of England successfully avoided murder charges by claiming that the full moon caused him to go crazy.
Many scientific studies have been done to test the validity of the claim, and it has consistently failed to hold up to scrutiny:
- In ten studies on the relationship between the full moon and crime rates, violence, and aggression, eight showed no correlation.
- In twelve studies on the correlation of the full moon and suicide rates, all twelve showed no correlation.
- In fifteen studies on the full moon and health effects, thirteen showed no correlation, one showed a correlation to events six days after a full moon, and one showed that while unintentional poisoning was up, intentional poisoning was down.
- In seven studies of the lunar cycle and automobile accidents, all seven showed no correlation.[6]
Some people believe that werewolves transform during a full moon. This is obviously true. Since werewolves have never been proven to transform during other phases of the moon, they must transform during a full moon. Prove us wrong.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ See here
- ↑ Like this site
- ↑ And this site
- ↑ And this one too. Don't you just hate stupid people?
- ↑ This one, in all fairness, probably does not believe in it (see here). Rather, it's probably trying to capitalize on other's beliefs in order to make money.
- ↑ This is obviously not all studies ever done, but it is a good representation from a reliable source. [1]
