TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2009//
TI  - Relationship between lunar phases and serious crimes of battery: a population-based study
JO  - Comprehensive psychiatry
A1  - Biermann, Teresa
A1  - Asemann, Rita
A1  - McAuliffe, Carmel
A1  - Strobel, Armin
A1  - Keller, Jochen
A1  - Sperling, Wolfgang
A1  - Bleich, S.
A1  - Kornhuber, Johannes
A1  - Reulbach, Udo
SP  - 573
EP  - 577
VL  - 50
IS  - 6
N2  - OBJECTIVE: The hypothesis of a lunar influence on human abnormal behavior is still widespread, although research has led to conflicting findings. Therefore, a population-based study to assess the influence of lunar phases on violent crimes was conducted. METHODS: The study included all serious crimes of battery (aggravated assaults) committed in Middle Franconia (Bavaria, Germany) between 1999 and 2005 (n = 23 142). Data were analyzed regarding lunar phase, sex, and place of crime scene (outdoor vs indoor). RESULTS: No significant associations between full, absent, and the moon's interphases and serious crimes of battery could be detected. Furthermore, a Fourier analysis was conducted that failed to produce an association between violence and the moon's phases. DISCUSSION: Several possible explanations for the presented results are discussed including biological and social mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: The present study fails to find a significant association between lunar phases and crimes of battery.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0010-440X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.01.002
ID  - ref1
ER  -