The Science Behind Astrology
Whether you’re a fiery Aries, a strong Capricorn, a sensitive Virgo, or anywhere else in between, there’s no doubt that you’ve probably read your horoscope at least once or twice before. We read our horoscopes each day in hopes of getting a good prediction about the day before we actually participate in it, and sometimes it seems accurate, and other times, not so much.
We use our sun signs to describe our odd personalities, or perhaps even as a way to justify certain behavior.
It’s a course of study that’s been around since about 2000 B.C.E. and its popularity has certainly stood the test of time. Millions of smartphone users everywhere have horoscope apps downloaded to their phones and there’s usually an astrology column that still runs in most modern newspapers each day. But is there any truth behind our astrological signs, or is it merely coincidence, or even perhaps generalized wording so that any outcome may appear true? In this article, we’ll discuss the science behind astrology and see if there’s any actual, credible evidence to support it.
A Brief History:
By definition, astrology is the study of extraterrestrial things in relation to earthly affairs. It is believed that astrology and fascination with the stars in correlation to earthly events began in a time where humans had no answers or even a way to truly collect data and answers about who we are, how we got here, and why. Astrology was actually something that was implemented into ancient calendars and could not only forecast the seasons at hand, but foretold future catastrophic events as well. Many of these predictions have actually been eerily accurate—especially in the Mayan calendars.
Over the course of a few hundred years, astrology eventually made its’ way the Middle East, Europe, Rome, and Greece. These countries were so blown away by the apparent power of astrology that they expanded on it themselves and ended up westernizing into what we have now—the horoscopes, the personality quirks, and so on. They measured lunar cycles in accordance with tidal waves and position in correlation to the constellations in order to predict personality and even the type of day one was going to have, both in terms of weather and mood. After another thousand years, many religious temples and other important establishments were even found to be built under certain constellations or facing certain lunar positions so as to influence what went on inside.
But is There Any Science Behind it?
In short— the answer is no. Modern science refers to astrology as a pseudoscience—or, a series of beliefs that simply lack credible, scientific evidence, yet is still regarded as true. However, with that in mind, we must remember the roots of astrology and understand that it is something that has helped us reach the scientific heights that we’re on top of in modern times.
A scientist named Karl Popper began looking into astrology in the 1950s and one of his first findings was that while many people are quick to believe in the predictions of their sun signs when they’re accurate, they are not so quick to discredit their horoscope when it’s wrong. The psychological term for that is called confirmation bias, and it’s a mental process that clearly still exists today in regards to not only astrology, but a whole slew of other topics as well.
Science is a subject where proof comes from the same results being produced over and over again with little to no room for error in any experiment, so it makes sense that astrology has been coined as a pseudoscience. However, though astrology has shown no direct connection between planetary movements and the energy produced by these shifts, it’s not falsifiable. In simpler terms, that means that just because there’s an absence of scientific proof, there has also been an absence of complete discredit.
All in all, if astrology is something that works for you and enables you to feel better about your life, your personal experiences, and most importantly—your life, then feel free to indulge. No harm has ever been done in the name of astrology.
Just because something isn’t scientifically proven doesn’t mean that it’s not real to some people.
It’s an increasingly incredible and weird world that we live in, and just because something can’t show up at a specific time and in a controlled environment on a scientific test doesn’t mean that it hasn’t shown up elsewhere in a natural setting.