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Full Moon Injuries Just a Myth: Scientists

Austrian researchers miss chance to weigh in on werewolves

By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 1, 2007 7:17 AM CDT

(Newser) – Another of life's mysteries has been cleared up—a crack team of scientists has found no link between accidents and the full moon. Experts analyzed 500,000 industrial accidents to arrive at the myth-busting conclusion, the AP reports. Says an Austrian government astronomer, "The full moon does not unfavorably affect the likelihood of an accident."

Researchers say they decided to test out the full-moon theory, which dates to at least the first century AD, because it kept coming up as something a lot of people believed. Scientists agree that there is no particular reason a full moon should have any effect on people; it's just too far away, and people are too small.

Saquaro cacti are silhouetted by a full moon rising over South Mountain Saturday, June 30, 2007, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Saquaro cacti are silhouetted by a full moon rising over South Mountain Saturday, June 30, 2007, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)   (Associated Press)
After several days of storms, skies cleared over Tyler, Texas in time for the Full Moon, seen Sunday, April 1, 2007.  (AP Photo/Dr. Scott M. Liebrman)
After several days of storms, skies cleared over Tyler, Texas in time for the Full Moon, seen Sunday, April 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Dr. Scott M. Liebrman)   (Associated Press)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld   (Getty Images)
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