It's not me, it's my star sign  episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 14, 2025 · 15 MIN

It's not me, it's my star sign

from Because Why?! The Science and Society Pod. · host Brianne West

Why do people still believe in horoscopes, even when we know they’re not true? (If this is you, I'm curious, not judging.)For nearly a century, people have turned to horoscopes for all sorts of advice, and they’re actually more popular now than ever. But how is this still so widespread when it’s been clearly debunked time and again?Turns out, there are a lot of reasons - and the story is more complicated (and fascinating) than you might think.In this episode let's get into:The ancient history of the zodiac signsHow astrology and zodiac systems differ across countriesHow science eventually outpaced astrologyWhy zodiac signs got out of alignment - and why no one seemed to careHow astrology reinvented itself to stay relevant and believableThe ways astrology sneaks into modern life that you might not even noticeWhy astrology is booming right nowThe psychology behind why we want astrology to workHow the wording of horoscopes subtly manipulates usHow horoscope writing has been tailored to target womenWhy you can’t convince astrology fans they’re wrongHow celestial bodies really do affect us (just not in the way horoscopes claim)Thanks for joining me on this episode of Because Why?!Mā te wā - see you next week.You can get involved with the podcast online in the meantime, of course.Find our full podcast via the website here: ⁠⁠https://www.nowthatwhatsicall.com⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausewhypod/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/⁠⁠Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwest⁠⁠Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/⁠⁠For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: ⁠⁠https://incrediballs.com/⁠

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It's not me, it's my star sign

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This episode was published on September 14, 2025.

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Why do people still believe in horoscopes, even when we know they’re not true? (If this is you, I'm curious, not judging.)For nearly a century, people have turned to horoscopes for all sorts of advice, and they’re actually more popular now than...

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