| FOR thousands of years, men have believed | | | | the activity, feeding, reproduction, and |
| that the moon governs aspects of life on | | | | biological rhythms of many living organisms |
| earth. It has been thought that the moon's | | | | are connected with the tides, which, in turn, |
| phases have an effect on plants, animals, and | | | | are directly influenced by the gravitational |
| even humans. While some long-cherished | | | | force of the moon. |
| notions have been disproved by modern | | | | |
| scientific research, other beliefs persist to | | | | Some claim that if the moon influences the |
| this day. What do the facts show? | | | | tides, it must affect humans as well, since |
| | | | much of the human body is water. And what of |
| Some people are convinced that there is a | | | | the supposed relationship between the phases |
| connection between the phases of the moon and | | | | of the moon and mental disorders, the time of |
| the growth of plants. Thus, they use | | | | one's birth, and even the menstrual cycle, |
| calendars and almanacs in deciding when to | | | | the length of which is approximately the same |
| plant flowers, spread manure, bottle wine, or | | | | as the lunar month? |
| make preserves. This is done in the belief | | | | |
| that if certain tasks are performed during | | | | Studies have been undertaken in the fields of |
| the wrong phase of the moon, the quality of | | | | psychiatry, psychology, and gynecology to get |
| the product will be compromised. One source | | | | to the truth of the matter. The results have |
| offers this advice to gardeners: "Vegetables | | | | been inconclusive. Some researchers claim to |
| to be eaten fresh should generally be picked | | | | have found slight correlations between human |
| during the waxing moon, while vegetables to | | | | activities and lunar rhythms, but others |
| be preserved should be picked during the | | | | state flatly that there is no link at all. |
| waning moon." Is there a scientific basis for | | | | They argue that if lunar cycles had a marked |
| this practice? | | | | influence on human births, the connection |
| | | | would have been clearly demonstrated long |
| Some studies seem to link the growth of | | | | ago. What is more, none of the theories |
| plants with lunar rhythms. However, many | | | | proposed to explain the supposed lunar effect |
| scientists are not convinced. They point out | | | | on man have convinced scientists in general. |
| that lunar rhythms are complex, they are not | | | | |
| completely regular, and their effects are not | | | | Although science has demonstrated that the |
| marked, so it is difficult to replicate the | | | | moon has some effect on the various forms of |
| experiments upon which the studies are based. | | | | life on earth, the extent is not easily |
| | | | determined. Our physical universe is complex, |
| Certain lunar effects have been verified, | | | | and at least for now, many of the marvelous |
| however. For example, it has been shown that | | | | mechanisms that regulate it remain unknown. |