More or Less - Does a full moon make crime rates go up?
Download Does a full moon make crime rates go up?
The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one of the most suspicious....
For thousands of years, people have blamed the full moon for strange behavior. From ancient myths and the origins of the word lunacy to modern police folklore, the idea that a bright moon can influence human actions is one that many believe.
But what does the data tell us? We spoke to Professor Eric Chudler, who has looked at crime rates and lunar cycles to discover whether the moon truly is the ultimate crime puppeteer.
If you spot any suspicious numbers in the news or life and want us to investigate, please email in to: moreorless@bbc.co.uk.
Presenter/Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Mix: James Beard
Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed
Published on Saturday, 4th July 2026.
Available Podcasts from More or Less
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the More or Less webpage.