More crimes occur at Full Moon This myth ascribes more influence to the Moon than it actually has. By Michael E. Bakich

This legend is one most people have heard and many believe, although there's not a shred of proof that backs it up. The myth states that police officers and emergency room personnel note a rise in criminal activity during Full Moons.

Scientific studies, however, show no such correlation. In other words, the Moon's phase has no effect on the number of crimes committed, the number of people admitted to asylums, the number of babies conceived or born, or any other like occurrence.

So why does this myth persist? Perhaps it's because people seem to notice an increase in such events around a Full Moon. Social scientists speculate it's because people are more likely to notice, and remember, a Full Moon, rather than the Moon at other phases.

So, if someone commits a murder when the Moon is a crescent, people covering the crime may not remember the phase of the Moon that night. (Perhaps the Moon set before law enforcement arrived at the crime scene.) If, however, the Moon is full, a police officer might be more likely to remember the phase of the Moon that night, because a bright Moon is obvious. And here's a startling fact: A Full Moon shines 10 times brighter than a Quarter Moon, even though First Quarter and Last Quarter display half of the Moon's face illuminated.

In short, crimes, births, and strange occurrences happen all month long, but only those that occur around Full Moon cause people to talk about them.