'Dangerous moonlight' linked to shark attacks
Behaviour varies with lunar phases – but might be not what it seems
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Behaviour varies with lunar phases – but might be not what it seems
When the full Moon rises, strange things can happen here on Earth. Oysters snap close. Corals spawn. Zooplankton dive deeper. Seabirds stick to the shore. And lions hunt less.
Researchers discovered that periods of higher lunar illumination have more shark attacks than usual, while periods of lower illumination have fewer attacks. Researchers have examined the links between lunar phases and shark attacks despite the fact that many animals demonstrate behaviors that are connected to the moon phases.
"The abundance of data we have would suggest that there is something there that's worth continuing to look at," LSU associate professor Steve Midway said.