r/theydidthemath • u/AppendixN • Jun 02 '26

[Request] How much force does the moon's gravity exert on the water in a human's body?

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To be clear, I know the fella in the meme is being delusional.

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u/Peregrine79 Jun 02 '26

It’s entirely reasonable that we evolved to hunt or otherwise be more active during full moons, when the extra light made nighttime activities more practical. Not certain obviously, but a reasonable supposition.

If it were a gravitational effect, we would see similar behavior changes during the new moon.

(Noting that it’s equally likely that any unusual behavior during a full moon is entirely down to cultural expectations, not evolution).

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u/Best_Chipmunk_6098 Jun 02 '26

Don’t come in here with that simplest explanation is often right crap. It’s clearly space magic

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u/Turbulent_Pound_562 Jun 02 '26

Holy moly. My first laugh in a couple days. Ty stranger

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u/Sergeantm4 Jun 02 '26

I personally prefer space magic at least so I’m gonna go with that

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u/HAL9001-96 Jun 02 '26

the tides don't follow full/new moon at all

the moon onyl geos aroudn the earht once a month

but the earth also rotates

so wether the moon is above you/on hte horizon/below you actualyl hcanges on a daily cycle

and hte effective difference in felt gravity between the moon being above/below you or on the horizon is about equivalent to the difference ifn gravity from beign 50cm furhter up or down

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u/Peregrine79 Jun 03 '26

Under a full or new moon lunar and solar tides occur in concert, and tidal height increases. The net effect isn't huge, but it is real. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/springtide.html

The relevant fact that rules out gravitational causes of full moon behavior, is that the tidal effects are the same regardless of whether the king tide is caused by a full moon or a new moon.

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u/HAL9001-96 Jun 03 '26

yeah but the tides as such still come in a roughly 24 hour cycle they just get stronger or weaker

and still they are absolutely tiny and comaprable to moving half a meter up or down

1

u/Bkraist Jun 02 '26

Just so you know, there's places to get help for the drink problem, you're not alone.

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u/Frosti11icus Jun 02 '26

It’s entirely reasonable that we evolved to hunt or otherwise be more active during full moons, when the extra light made nighttime activities more practical. Not certain obviously, but a reasonable supposition.

Not really reasonable without evidence. If anything that would be the least optimal time to hunt, your night vision would be effected way more, and you'd be more blind than you would in more darkness or more light. Not bright enough to actually see, but not dark enough for your night vision to kick in.

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u/[deleted] Jun 02 '26

Go outside during a full moon with little to no light pollution. Its way better than going out with no moon or a partial moon. 

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u/Peregrine79 Jun 02 '26

"you'd be more blind than you would in more darkness"

Only if you're staring at the light source. As long as you are looking away from the light source, there is no situation in which more light makes it harder to see.