Full moon fears may be well founded
From werewolves to wackiness, folklore abounds with tales of peril associated with the full moon. In Africa, a full moon portends real danger of lion attacks.
Pure lunacy? Maybe not. A team of University of Minnesota ecologists has found that lion attacks on people in rural Tanzania vary with the lunar cycle, a discovery that may be the first scientific underpinning for full-moon legends.
But there's a twist: The night of the full moon is actually the safest night. The danger jumps on the nights immediately following the full moon because that's when the lions are hungriest and evenings—when people are still active—are darkest.
“Our key finding is that the night of the full moon is very special—it is the last night of safety for people who are primarily exposed to lion attack in the evening.”
– Craig Packer
