月球是地球唯一的天然卫星。月有阴晴圆缺，不论我们肉眼是否看得见，月亮每晚都在天空升起。月亮能控制地球上的潮汐，但它也能影响生活在地球上的人类吗？

 

It's more than 384,000km from Earth. We can see it most nights. And it's not made of cheese! I am, of course, talking about the Moon. Astronauts have taken giant steps to explore this natural satellite floating in space, but despite it being out of reach for most of us, it still moves us in mysterious ways.

 

The Moon, obviously, provides moonlight. A full moon, seen roughly once a month, can light up our way on an otherwise dark night. But while this lunar light can be impressive to look at, it can affect our sleeping patterns. One study showed that during or around the full moon, those studied spent less time in deep sleep, slept for less time and reported having poorer sleep, despite sleeping in a dark room not exposed to moonlight.

 

There are many theories about how the Moon can affect other things too. One study suggested animals are more likely to bite us during a full moon. And many moons ago, it was thought the Moon induced lunacy – the word derives¹ from the Latin word 'lunaticus', meaning 'moonstruck', and evolved from the idea that celestial² changes could cause periods of insanity³. Even winemakers look to the Moon when planting and pruning⁴ grapevines. They will avoid a full moon at all costs because, although the added moisture in the soil at this time may give a fuller and juicier grape, the additional water is thought to dilute⁵ the taste of the fruit, which results in a less successful vintage.

 

The Moon might affect our behaviour too. Writing about this for BBC Future, Claudia Hammond explains one interesting theory. Just as the Moon's gravitational pull affects the tides, it exerts its influence on the water in our bodies. But she points out "the Moon is smaller than the Earth, so its gravitational pull is correspondingly less powerful. What's more, it exerts the same force on us regardless of whether it's new or full." Research into ancient myths about the effects of the lunar cycle on us is ongoing⁶. So, like the Moon being made of cheese, we must be careful what we believe!

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