From ancient beliefs to Shakespeare’s poetry, human perceptions of the lunar phenomenon, or Lunar Effect—the belief that the moon influences human behavior—have been deeply rooted for thousands of years. Even the words "Lunacy," meaning madness, and "Lunatic," meaning insane person, derive from the Latin word "Luna," meaning 'moon'.
The lunar phenomenon is thus not merely a myth but a deeply embedded issue in human culture and thought over time. Thairath Plus invites everyone to explore the legends behind the belief that the moon affects human behavior, through historical views and scientific evidence.
that the brain is the moistest part of the body. He described the brain as a cooling organ filled with water.He also believed moonlight to be cool and highly moist. When moonlight reaches Earth, it raises atmospheric moisture, causing fluids in the human skull to expand just as tides rise and fall.The increased pressure in the brain was thought to compress the nerves responsible for reasoning, allowing animal instincts to dominate and resulting in aggressive behavior. This belief led medieval psychiatric hospitals to confine patients in completely dark rooms during full moons to prevent exposure to moonlight.However, this myth was only knowledge of its time and has been scientifically disproven today.2. Hecate, Goddess of the Dark Moon and the Crossroads Symbol
Another ancient Greek legend involves Hecate, a goddess associated with lighting the dark moon night. It was believed that anyone who laughed and cried without reason, went mad, or sleepwalked to crossroads—especially on a new moon night—was possessed by Hecate.
Therefore, when ancient people saw someone talking alone in the dark or standing at a crossroads, they interpreted it as the person conversing with the goddess’s invisible attendants.
3. 'Moon-Blink' Condition and the Dangers of Sleeping Under Moonlight
This belief was widespread enough that old sailors would cover their faces completely to protect against moonlight, which was also thought to "eat away at the brain." Additionally, there was a belief that moonlight has decomposing powers; fish caught and exposed to moonlight for only a few hours would spoil and become toxic immediately.
4. The Belief in 'Moon Children' and Emotional Instability
The argument that the moon affects human body water like ocean tides is scientifically false because the moon’s gravitational pull on the human body is negligible, not affecting bodily reactions. Even a mosquito on our skin exerts more pull on us than the moon does.The persistence of this belief stems from a psychological phenomenon called illusory correlation, where people remember unusual events during full moons to confirm existing beliefs but ignore similar events on other nights. Entertainment media and films also reinforce these lunar associations.In the past, before modern technology, bright moonlight might have caused sleeplessness, affecting the nervous system and leading to behavioral and emotional instability. This is likely the most plausible explanation consistent with modern scientific understanding.Strange behaviors that could not be explained at the time became myths that endure today, even though moonlight no longer impacts us in the same way.Ultimately, the lunar phenomenon reflects humanity’s intense effort to explain uncontrollable behaviors during times of limited knowledge. We created stories and myths to fill gaps in understanding and transform fears into tangible influences via moonlight’s effect on life.
The most astonishing thing may not be the distant moon orbiting far away, but our psychological mechanism ready to connect everything, even when scientific evidence clearly shows full moons do not cause madness.Viewing the world through facts helps us truly understand our nature without fearing the moonlight in the night sky anymore.ReferencesAnthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of ShaftesburyThe Disease of the Moon: The Linguistic and Pathological Evolution of the English Term “Lunatic”