Does the Moon Influence Your Life?

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