Crazy Like a Full Moon Fox

When I was driving into work, I noticed a beautiful full moon up in the sky.  It looked so large, I felt like I could reach up and touch it. 

In case you didn't know, the moon is the closest heavenly body to earth but the full moon that came this past year on June 23, 2013 was termed the SuperMoon.  The name SuperMoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 and is defined as:

...a new or full moon which occurs with the Moon at or near its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. In short, Earth, Moon and Sun are all in a line, with Moon in its nearest approach to Earth.

This led me to wonder why the world, in general, seems a little bit crazier during the time of a full moon.  Studies have been done and there is no concrete correlation between the full moon and the way people, and animals, act but sometimes, the evidence speaks for itself.  After all, the word lunatic is derived from luna which is the Latin name for the word moon.   During my research, I came across a few things that are worth noting:

• Emergency room visits and traffic accidents are increased during a full moon.
• More crimes are committed during a full moon.
• People are more active during a full moon.  The reasoning here is that the moon, which affects the ocean's tides, may have the same effect on humans as our bodies are made mostly of water.
• A Florida expert on animal behavior reported hamsters ran on their wheel far more aggressively during a full moon.
• Charles Hyde, a London man, went on a rampage and committed crimes at the time of a full moon.  He was the inspiration to Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote the book The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde.

Regardless if it's fact or fiction, people do seem to act a little crazier during a full moon.  Or maybe they are crazy all the time and we just blame it on the moon.

Have a crazy day!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@rkavery1