Does a full moon make crime rates go up? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 4, 2026 · 8 MIN

Does a full moon make crime rates go up?

from More or Less · host BBC Radio 4

The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one of the most suspicious.... For thousands of years, people have blamed the full moon for strange behavior. From ancient myths and the origins of the word lunacy to modern police folklore, the idea that a bright moon can influence human actions is one that many believe. But what does the data tell us? We spoke to Professor Eric Chudler, who has looked at crime rates and lunar cycles to discover whether the moon truly is the ultimate crime puppeteer. If you spot any suspicious numbers in the news or life and want us to investigate, please email in to: [email protected]/Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Mix: James Beard Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 4, 2026

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Does a full moon make crime rates go up?

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