From time immemorial, the moon has been a major symbol for humanity, representing everything from early deities to scientific advancement, from the earliest origins of our solar system to the promise of a future outside earth.

For centuries, people have believed that the Moon affects human behaviour. Full moons, in particular, became associated with mental instability and danger, hence the terms “lunacy” and “lunatic,” that derive from the Latin “lunaticus”, meaning “moonstruck”, and both the Greek philosopher Aristotle and the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder believed that madness and epilepsy were caused by the Moon. To this day, people still believe there are higher rates of emergency room visits, car accidents, homicides, and other signs of agitated behaviors on those nights.

The moon is also the source of one of the most important natural rhythms of the earth, the tides. The phases of the moon provided an important timekeeping measure for humans throughout history; today, many cultures still follow the lunar calendar.

We continue to acknowledge the power of this symbolism, and the unique sway the moon has over human consciousness.