Relationship between lunar phases and serious crimes of battery: a population-based study

Biermann, Teresa; Asemann, Rita; McAuliffe, Carmel; Ströbel, Armin; Keller, Jochen; Sperling, Wolfgang; Bleich, Stefan; Kornhuber, Johannes; Reulbach, Udo

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2009.01.002

« Previous Next »Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 50, Issue 6 , Pages 573-577, November 2009

Relationship between lunar phases and serious crimes of battery: a population-based study

Teresa Biermann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 9131 85 44773; fax: +49 9131 8534105.
Rita Asemann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
Carmel McAuliffe
- National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork, Ireland
Armin Ströbel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
Jochen Keller
- Police Department of Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
Wolfgang Sperling
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
Stefan Bleich
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
Udo Reulbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork, Ireland

published online 12 March 2009.

Abstract

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.