Field evidence for interactive effects of artificial light at night and moon phase on sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus locomotion.

The Moon's motion around the Earth is complex, governed by interactions among several types of cycles that arise from different aspects of its orbit. The 29.53-day synodic cycle occurs as the Moon passes through new-moon and full-moon alignments (syzygies) with the Earth and the Sun. The 27.32-day tropical cycle occurs as the Moon moves back and forth between its northernmost and southernmost positions (standstills) relative to the plane of the Earth's equator. The 27.55-day anomalistic cycle occurs as the Moon moves back and forth from its nearest and farthest distances from the Earth (perigees and apogees). The Moon's effects on luminance and gravity at the Earth's surface are greatest at times of syzygies, standstills, and perigees. Here, based on periodogram analyses of 14.5 patient-year records of a circular, rapid cycling type of bipolar disorder, we show that onsets of mania in a given individual can recur in association with 2 or more lunar cycles simultaneously, and with conjunctions of syzygies of the synodic cycle with standstills of the tropical cycle or with perigees of the anomalistic cycle. The results are consistent with the fact that the Moon's effects at the Earth's surface are the result of interactions among all of its constituent cycles, and they highlight the potential importance of long-term longitudinal designs in studies of lunar influence.

The distant retrograde orbit (DRO) serves as a strategic staging point for future cislunar missions, and geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) provides a practical departure option for rideshare low-thrust cargo missions. However, time-optimal low-thrust GTO-to-DRO transfers remain computationally demanding. Indirect methods are highly sensitive to boundary conditions and prone to divergence, whereas direct methods face dimensionality issues as the number of variables scales with trajectory duration and revolutions. To address this issue, this paper proposes a bidirectional initialization framework for multi-phase indirect shooting. A forward auxiliary solution is constructed for the GTO-raising phase in planar modified equinoctial elements, while a backward auxiliary solution is generated for the DRO-insertion phase in the planar Earth–Moon circular restricted three-body problem. The two subproblems are connected through an intermediate interface and coordinated by an outer-level stationarity iteration, after which lunar phase continuity and lunar perturbations are reintroduced into a fully coupled indirect shooting problem. The numerical results show that the proposed strategy provides a reliable initial guess for the complete optimization and enables robust convergence to a continuous time-optimal GTO-to-DRO transfer. The method improves the tractability of long-duration multi-phase indirect trajectory optimization for low-thrust cislunar mission design.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women experience more vasomotor symptoms during menopausal transition compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups. Yet, there have been no evidence-based interventions aimed at peri‑ and post-menopause treatment among midlife AI/AN women. The aim of this exploratory study was to refine a culturally informed intervention for perimenopause/menopause treatment for midlife AI/AN women. A Convergent parallel mixed methods design incorporating the principles of community-based participatory research was used. Community Advisory Board members (n = 8) from an urban community of Native women, who also served as participants, participated in meetings on Zoom to refine the intervention. Participants also completed an online survey that included demographics, health status, and integrative health therapy options. Quantitative measures were summarized using descriptive statistics. Content analysis was conducted on summaries of the community advisory board sessions. All participants self-reported as AI/AN women. During the sessions, women named the intervention, Waning Moon, and shared the following: a) content to be prioritized to best support the needs of Native women; b) mode of delivery and duration of Waning Moon; and c) promoting Waning Moon within the community. Quantitative surveys results revealed that 40% of participants had used integrative health. Synthesizing both quantitative and qualitative findings, responses aligned across data sources regarding willingness to use integrative health approaches and the use of preventative care. Waning Moon incorporates conventional and integrative health and is greatly desired by AI/AN women. Women's health clinicians should note that integrative and Native treatments are more likely to be accepted by AI/AN women when culturally tailored.

Simulating Sea Level Affected by Moon Phase Using Delft3D Hydrodynamic Model (Case Study of The Pekalongan Coastal Area in 2023-2024)

Lunar tidal cycle forcing on estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality patterns and implications for suspended sediment-borne contaminant transport: Case study of SE coast of Nigeria

The aim of this paper is to verify the effect of moon phases (lunar effect) on the main indices of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) in 2020-2024. In these years was possible to indicate periods of increased market volatility. It provides the basis for undertaking considerations on the possibility for observing existing dependencies on the global stock markets. Using the quotations of four main WSE indices (WIG, WIG20, mWIG40, sWIG80), daily logarithmic returns were calculated in two event windows: one-day (t0), and three-day, covering one session day before and one after a specific moon phase (t-1-t+1). Based on 39 qualified new and full moons, medians of the returns differing significantly from zero were observed on the day of the new moon for all the analysed WSE indices. Moreover, the values of returns were average higher than zero on days adjacent to the new moon. However, no statistical significance was found for the median value of the returns on full moon days (except in one case, sWIG80). It is worth underlining that this research is one of the first attempts to verify the effect of moon phases in the current era of increased volatility of financial instruments on world markets in relation to the financial instrument listed on the WSE.

ABSTRACT Field studies using conventional univariate methods fail to detect physiological rhythms (melatonin, cortisol, sleep architecture) that are consistently documented under laboratory-controlled conditions, suggesting that temporal factors operate on systemic organization rather than isolated metrics. Network analysis quantifies conditional dependencies among variables simultaneously, enabling the detection of organizational changes independent of mean-level shifts. As an exploratory proof-of-concept, this study examines whether network comparison methods detect temporal reorganization of psychophysiological integration invisible to conventional repeated-measures analysis in elite athletes; no confirmatory causal inference is drawn. Twelve elite male athletes completed psychophysiological assessments (mood states, subjective well-being, neurocognitive performance, postural control, intermittent endurance) at three lunar phases (New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon) in a counterbalanced design. Conventional repeated-measures ANOVA detected no temporal effects on isolated variables (all F < 2.87, p > 0.05, η2 p < 0.21). Network comparison revealed marked organizational differences: New Moon versus Full Moon networks exhibited distinct architecture (M = 0.31, padj = 0.008) and connectivity (S = 8.42, padj = 0.029). Centrality systematically redistributed from capacity and well-being constructs (New Moon: vigour z = 1.82) to recovery markers (Full Moon: stress z = 2.13). Twelve connections differed significantly, including enhanced stress-confusion coupling (Δr = +0.39, p = 0.003). This proof-of-concept demonstrates that temporal measurements can exhibit systemic reorganization despite stable component means, resolving apparent contradictions between laboratory-detected physiological rhythms and field-based null findings. Temporal control measurements and multi-cycle replication are required to definitively attribute observed reorganization to lunar periodicity rather than generic temporal variation.

Abstract Diel activity patterns provide insight into how animals adapt to environmental constraints, human disturbance, and community context. However, empirical information on diel activity of large, free‐ranging ungulates in hyper‐arid systems is limited, and much of the existing evidence comes from fenced enclosures or managed reserves. To investigate these mechanisms, we used Cuvier's gazelle ( Gazella cuvieri ) as a model species to examine seasonal and ecological drivers of activity in a hyper‐arid Saharan landscape. A total camera trap effort of 11 333 trap days was accumulated across four sites. We studied both abiotic (seasons, moon phase, and rainfall) and biotic factors (activity of the African golden wolf, Barbary sheep, and livestock). The influence of each factor was assessed using the activity overlap coefficient (∆) and the non‐parametric circular Mardia–Watson–Wheeler test. Period selection within the diel cycle was analysed using chi‐square contingency tables and the ‘Wi’ parameter of the resource selection coefficients. Cuvier's gazelle exhibited predominantly diurnal activity with bimodal crepuscular peaks at dawn and dusk and reduced activity at midday. The main drivers were wet/dry periods and moon phase. In contrast, intra‐guild factors did not produce significant effects, although temporal asynchrony with wolves and slight behavioural shifts in the presence of livestock were observed. Overall, gazelles avoided nocturnal hours and selected crepuscular periods. These findings strengthen our understanding of behavioural adaptations of an endangered species in hyper‐arid environments and contribute to broader knowledge of ungulate activity patterns under extreme ecological constraints.

The timing of activity is fundamental to animal survival. For many nocturnal species, moonlight suppresses activity due to elevated predation risk. However, how animals track moonlight-with its complex nightly and monthly variations-and how endogenous and exogenous processes interact to control this behaviour remain poorly understood. We investigated these mechanisms in Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni, an electric fish inhabiting shallow, clear-water Amazonian streams. We quantified activity across the lunar cycle using field recordings of electric organ discharges (EODs) from autonomous loggers, paired with high-resolution moonlight measurements, and through laboratory experiments conducted under recreated moonlight cycles. G. rondoni restricted foraging to moonless periods, closely tracking shifting nightly windows of darkness associated with changes in moonrise and moonset, and the local effects of canopy blocking and cloud cover-indicating strong exogenous masking. We also documented a daily 'pre-emergence rise' in EOD rate, beginning approximately 4-5 h before nightfall, consistent with anticipation of emergence. This rise was selectively suppressed on nights when moonlight was already present at nightfall ('moonlit-onset nights'), when emergence would be risky. This suppression was already evident on the first moonlit-onset night, following several entirely moonless nights. These observations provide rare evidence for an endogenous component to a non-reproductive circalunar rhythm in a vertebrate.

Is there a correlation between season and weather patterns on trauma admissions?

A Review of Chronobiology in Relation to Time Modalities and Moon Phases in Homoeopathy

Synchronizing mating to extrinsic environmental cycles can increase the chance of successful reproduction, and the resulting temporally-assorted mating may precipitate speciation if coupled with divergent selection. This process might be particularly relevant to the marine midge Clunio marinus, which synchronizes its reproduction to different lunar phases. In Roscoff (France) two sympatric populations differ in reproductive timing but are still connected by gene flow. A previous study found a relationship between the timing of reproduction and the depth at which larva live in the intertidal zone. Building on this observation, we ask if the link between reproductive timing and depth could be a mechanism for divergence when coupled with competition-induced density-dependent fitness. We devise an individual-based model replicating the reproductive behavior of C. marinus and find that sympatric divergence can occur, even when we model sexual reproduction with recombination and an explicit genetic basis. Our results suggest this mechanism is a likely hypothesis for the allochronic divergence observed in the Roscoff populations. Additionally, our study provides insights into how density-dependent fitness and competition may play a role in allochronic divergence in general.

ABSTRACT Understanding the diving behavior of baleen whales in tropical breeding areas is essential for evaluating both ecological functions and anthropogenic threats. In this study, we combined satellite transmitters and generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to investigate the dive behavior of sei whales ( Balaenoptera borealis ) in Santos Basin (SB), off southeastern Brazil. A total of 9963 dives were analyzed, revealing a dominance of shallow dives, with 93% of dives occurring at depths ≤ 20 m. Environmental variables such as sea surface temperature, local bathymetry, and chlorophyll concentration significantly influenced dive depth and duration. Cooler waters and deeper offshore areas were associated with longer and deeper dives, while higher surface productivity (indicated by increased chlorophyll a levels) shortened dive times. Behavioral and temporal covariates, including diel period, lunar phase, and dive shape, further modulated diving patterns. The prevalence of shallow diving behavior within the depth range of vessel drafts (≤ 20 m) raises significant conservation concerns, particularly regarding the risk of ship strikes in high‐traffic areas like the Santos Basin. Our findings highlight the behavioral plasticity of sei whales in tropical low‐latitude habitats and emphasize the importance of integrating dive behavior data into marine spatial planning and mitigation strategies. Reducing vessel speed and rerouting traffic in high‐density whale habitats should be considered in the future with further studies to reduce the risk of anthropogenic impacts on this threatened species.

This study analyzes local wisdom in weton calculation in Javanese traditional wedding traditions in the Karang Tanjung Village community, Padang Ratu District, Lampung. The purpose of this study is to determine the meaning of local wisdom of weton calculation in Javanese traditional wedding traditions, the factors that still use weton calculation in society, and to analyze the form and meaning of weton calculation in Javanese traditional wedding traditions in Karang Tanjung Village. This study uses qualitative methods, data collected through in-depth interviews, and literature studies, analyzed with the theory of social action. The results of the study show that first, weton calculation is not just a method of divination, but also reflects local values ​​such as mutual cooperation, simplicity, kinship, and mutual respect, which are manifested in the preparation and implementation of Javanese traditional weddings in which the village community actively participates. Second, the factors that encourage the people of Karang Tanjung Village, Central Lampung, to continue using weton calculation in wedding traditions are local customs and culture, belief in the results of weton predictions, and personal experience. Third, weton calculations, which refer to the combination of days and markets in the Javanese calendar, play an important role in determining auspicious days for wedding events and rituals, involving the use of the Javanese calendar, monitoring the lunar cycle, and interpreting the symbolic meaning of each combination of days and markets.

Host-parasite coevolution resulted in parasites optimising their life cycle to obtain the most benefit from the host's behaviour.In passerines, for instance, some parasite groups have found means to match their egg shedding rhythms with the hours of the day when hosts are most active.In other bird groups, such as shorebirds, whose active times are not determined by day-night cycles but by other external factors such as tidal or lunar cycles, it is not yet known whether their endoparasites exhibit any predictable pattern in their egg shedding rhythms.Here we used a simple wild-caught (captive) system, to provide a first approximation of the parasite egg shedding patterns in wintering Rufous-chested dotterels (Charadrius modestus).We collected faeces every two hours over 10 days until completing a 24-hour cycle, which was coupled with continuous video recordings to determine their feeding and drinking habits.Contrary to our expectation, we showed that parasite egg shedding followed a cyclic pattern, characterised by two peaks: one at midnight and another in the afternoon.Importantly, this shedding pattern was not related to the birds' feeding or drinking habits.We discuss possible environmental and physiological cues that parasites might use to trigger egg production, including the potential influence of tidal cycles on our results.

Broadcast coral spawning is a vital reproductive event for many reef-building species and is essential to the resilience of coral reef ecosystems. Understanding spawning dynamics is key to assessing the reproductive health and resilience of these ecosystems. While extensively documented in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean, coral spawning remains understudied in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), a region facing rapid environmental change and increasing coral decline. This study presents the first in situ coral spawning records from Zanzibar for three Scleractinian species: Galaxea astreata, Favites pentagona, and Platygyra daedalea. Observations were made during monthly nighttime monitoring dives from November 2024 to February 2025, timed with lunar and solar cycles linked to peak spawning in other regions. Results showed evidence of species-specific spawning timing: an individual G. astreata spawned on the second night after the full moon in November and December; an F. pentagona on the fourth night in November; and several P. daedalea on the fourth night in December and January. Spawning behaviour, including gamete setting, release windows, and split spawning, also varied by species and individual. These findings offer the first information on reproductive patterns for these species in the WIO and underscore the importance of local spawning studies to support regional coral conservation and restoration.

Abstract Students often experience difficulties in understanding the phases of the Moon, particularly in relating Earth-based observations to the spatial configuration and motion of the Sun–Earth–Moon system. Persistent misconceptions are well documented. This paper presents a simple, low-cost, do-it-yourself model designed to support conceptual understanding by linking two frames of reference: a heliocentric coordinate system, used to explain the physical origin of lunar phases, and a geographic coordinate system, from which the phases are observed. The model combines a planar representation of orbital motion with a three-dimensional viewing element that enables an Earth-based perspective. By explicitly connecting these viewpoints, the model supports the transition from observation to explanation. The model can be easily constructed from readily available materials and is suitable for use in primary and secondary school classrooms.

The notion that the moon exerts an influence on human behavior has long been a topic of interest. A number of studies have been conducted, yielding results that are, at least in part, contradictory. In this context, the objective of this study is to examine the impact of the lunar cycle on psychiatric emergency consultations. This retrospective study analyzed 69,764 psychiatric consultations at the Centre Psychiatrique d’Orientation et d’Accueil, one of the largest psychiatric emergency departments in France, between 2016 and 2023. The data set comprised age, gender, reasons for consultations, diagnosis, disposition at the end of the consultation and lunar phases. The data were analyzed using four operational definitions of lunar exposure to ensure comparability with previous studies. No statistically significant correlation was identified between the phases of the lunar cycle and the number of consultations or hospital admissions. No trend was observed in relation to reasons for consultations or specific psychiatric disorders, regardless of the definition used. The results confirm no significant influence of the lunar cycle on psychiatric emergencies, in line with the majority of existing studies. Despite popular beliefs, the study suggests that the moon has no effect on the number of emergency room consultations or the nature of psychiatric disorders, reinforcing the idea that such beliefs are scientifically unfounded at least at population level.

Detecting the presence of a particular species in the environment is essential in studies aiming to assess the abundance and distribution of the species. Identifying the factors that affect the rate of species detectability is useful in designing monitoring programs and can lead to a more consistent study method. Here, we reviewed a set of factors that potentially influence the detection of frogs. We conducted an extensive literature review to identify key elements that affect frog detectability. Primarily, we focused on the environmental variables affecting frog species, with a brief consideration of the methodological aspects related to frog detection. We synthesized commonly used environmental and habitat variables, revealing recurring patterns and their connections with frog detectability. Additionally, we explored the methodological factors influencing frog detection and identified gaps in the current literature, proposing potential future research directions. Our findings highlight the significance of environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloudiness, moon phase, and some habitat characteristics on frog detectability. Geographic biases in detectability studies limit our understanding, and expanding research into underexplored regions is crucial from a global perspective. In addition, incorporating specific environmental variables tailored to each species and habitat can enhance detection accuracy, improving our understanding of frog ecology and conservation. This review highlights the importance of accounting for detectability when surveying frogs and the need to consider all the factors influencing detectability.