RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Sure. The moon affects the earth by means of gravitational pull that gives us the seasons. That's pretty damn natural as well as being 'super'. . .

Well, the moon DOES affect the Earth. There are these things called tides you may have heard of.

SECOND UPDATE: It is amazing how this urban legend persists with all the science out there to contradict it.

UPDATE: I see I need an update on this item. Studies on Hospitals and care facilities have also been done. This is quite easy to track since all you have to do is check the time of the full moon statistically against other times. With computers, it is easy to check these statistics over a long period of time. There again, alas, contrary to anecdotal evidence, there is absolutely no connection with the full moon to human behavior or response. Actually I would think that scientists would jump at the chance to prove this story correct. If true, how do you account for such behavior? A fair answer might be that as we moved up the evolutionary chain, the moon affected the organisms. Perhaps those paramecia swimming around in the primordial soup were affected by the stages of the moon, and this acquired characteristic was passed on to descendants. Or maybe some other blah, blah, blah. Instead, we just have an old wives' tale or an urban legend. ORIGINAL COMMENT: As the Irishman noted, the moon affects the earth via tides. (The sun also causes tides.) The origin of this stupid rumor is that the full moon causes more crime and malfeasance in humans. Scientific studies have been done to the nth degree on this claim, and it is completely baseless. Historians now think that the legend started from back in Jolly Old England. Footpads operated better in full moon light, since street lights didn't exist. The crime rate went up during full moon and declined during new moon. Therefore the light caused some primeval urges to bubble up so saith the urban legend makers. We should always apply Occam's Razor to such theories and beliefs.

Try working in a Nursing Home on a Full Moon! Someone turn off the call buttons please!!!

Ask anyone who works at a general inquiry call centre if they get all the wierdos calling on a full moon and you will get an unequivical YES.

Many scientists agree that without moon, life/existance on Earth wouldn't be possible, therefore one way or another moon influences life on earth.

Supernaturally speaking? No, but it does influence the earth by giving light for the night and as others have mentioned the tides.

The moon in general effects the earth. Why not?

Nothing "supernatural" about this.The Moons influence on the tides has been common knowledge for ages.

either it really does or we have been led to believe it that some lose self control and do things that cause chaos and confusion.

Sure it affects the earth. Does it affect people? Well, I know for certain that I can't sleep as well during a full moon. And, no, it isn't the moonlight shining in my face. It's just this weird restless feeling I get - like I've had one too many cups of coffee and a little too late in the day. My grandfather was the same way. And, I've also heard stories (similar to GoneAway's) from people who have worked in hospital emergency rooms about all the wild and crazy occurrences that happen during a full moon. Whatever it is, I don't think it's part of the wacky world of the supernatural. Or...is it?

I've noticed that during a full moon, it is always brighter at night time.

There's hardly anything supernatural about the effects of the moon's pull on Earth. Just go to the beach and observe the tides! I read this and I almost believed that I was back in medieval Europe!

. . . how 'bout tides? That's one. I think the rest of it is mostly in a person's head, honestly.

I do believe the full moon effects the earth and it's inhabitants. One proof is when I was working in the hospital, I noticed that during the week of the full moon maternity floor would be packed with women going into labor. Always seemed to happen that same week, all of the rest of the month the floor would only have surgeries and c-sections.