How The Moon Controls Biology

This video is FULL of cool MOON biology 😏
↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓

Organisms of all shapes and sizes synchronize their behaviors using biological clocks. Some keep pace with the daily rising and setting sun using circadian rhythms. Others use annual cycles or the changing seasons as their cue. But many animals use moonlight and Earth’s lunar cycle to run their biological clock. Do humans do the same thing, with things like menstrual cycles? This week we take a look at living by moonlight.

SOURCES:

Grant, Rachel, Tim Halliday, and Elizabeth Chadwick. "Amphibians’ response to the lunar synodic cycle—a review of current knowledge, recommendations, and implications for conservation." Behavioral Ecology 24.1 (2012): 53-62.

Zhang, Lin, et al. "Dissociation of circadian and circatidal timekeeping in the marine crustacean Eurydice pulchra." Current Biology 23.19 (2013): 1863-1873.

Zantke, Juliane, et al. "Circadian and circalunar clock interactions in a marine annelid." Cell reports 5.1 (2013): 99-113.

Warren, H. B. Aspects of the behaviour of the impala male, Aepyceros melampus, during the rut. National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia, 1974.

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It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D.
Director: Joe Nicolosi
Writer: Eli Kintisch
Editor/animator: Stephen Fishman
Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox

Produced by PBS Digital Studios
Music via APM

[besmart]

When the moon hits your eye like… [YOU FINISH THE LYRIC!]

Let us know what you thought of this week's video! And if you've got a burning science question, leave a comment and maybe we'll answer it in a future video…

[crazykaspmovies]

I put my watch on my dog to prove you wrong, now it's humans and dogs.

[maddiebyfaith]

My first period started two days before my birthday on not just a full moon, but on the pink moon in August. August 1, 2012. My cycles were in perfect alignment with the moon and for the most part, still are. I just had a baby a few months ago though so it's going to take a little time to get back in alignment but I know when I do, my mental and emotional health will be good again.

[QuarterLifeCrises]

About women's periods not being synced to the lunar cycle... Is it possible that in ancient times it was that way and the evolution of modern artificial lights threw that out of whack?

[slagondrayer]

A roar that begins ovulation?! That's one hell of a thu'um.

[youngkim]

I took my girlfriend to watch the moon on a hillside overlooking the city. I must have activated her lunarbehavior.exe

[toottoot]

"wolves don't actually howl at the moon" is just about the saddest thing i've read all day

[TheScienceBiome]

The animations were good in this video!!

[cm]

What if we used to set our mating cycles off the moon but all that changed when we started spending a lot more time indoors and less time outside especially at night?

[reignvsme]

"emo teenagers"
*picks up eyeliner*
*blasts my chemical romance*
*kills all emotions*

[AdamFunk]

"Remember that humans aren't the only animals that rely on a satellite to time."
That was... actually pretty darn clever.

[fredriks]

"Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose they keep it tight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight ~"
Was thinking of this song all along
*Continues to dance in the moonlight*

[Master_Therion]

This video is very accurate. When ever I pull down my pants and flash my buttocks you know it's a Full Moon.

[blaze_rivers]

I'm interested in the subject of menstral cycles in humans. Is it possible that humans are genetically programmed to spread out menstral cycles equally over the month to maximize productivity and effectiveness of the species? It seems flawed to say that there is no correlation between women's menstral cycles and the lunar cycle.

[DheerajBhaskar]

I liked the ending line, you're not the only one who relies on a satellite for time 😎👍

[TheBarefootedGardener]

Lunar cycles and day length are important with plants too. Daffodils and Tulips bloom earlier in spring on increasing day length Chrysanthemums, Turtlehead (Chelone sp.) bloom in Autumn as daylength shortens. Growers will trick mums into blooming earlier (when we want to buy them in fall) by using black covers to mimic the shorter days of fall, even though production starts in August. They normally bloom a lot later in nature.

[amanofcultur]

Oh great! Now I know about the biological clock that I've killed by staying up till 4 am.

[stab_lab]

I ovulate with the moon cycle actually.

[agggg]

maybe human technology altered the menstrual sync with the moon

[sachinsac]

Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed.
But how was initial source of energy created?