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1999/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

In Basque mythology, the Moon is the daughter of the Earth, and as all daughters affect their mother, the Moon influences the Earth. But does it also affect human beings? The debate is not new and numerous books have been written. Some believe (led by psychiatrist Arnold Lieber of Florida) that the Moon influences man while influencing tides and weather, and that on full moon days, or at night, violent, provoked behaviors, suicides, etc. increase.

This conviction is widespread, but there is insufficient empirical evidence in hospitals and in cases. On the opposite side is Canadian psychologist Ivan Kelly and others. They say that more than 100 investigations and 50,000 emergency calls have been analyzed and have found no relationship between the Moon and psychological variables or substances that cause stress and aggressiveness.