The Bad Moon Rising
Curious Cases
BBC
4.8 • 4.1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 December 2016
⏱️ 15 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
'A teacher I work with swears that around the time of the full moon kids are rowdier in the classroom, and more marital disharmony in the community," says Jeff Boone from El Paso in Texas. 'Is there any biological reason why the moon's phases could affect human moods and behaviour?'
Our scientific sleuths sift through the evidence to find out if the moon really does inspire lunacy. They consider Othello's testimony, a study on dog bites and homicides in Florida before coming to a conclusion based on current scientific evidence.
Featuring neuroscientist Eric Chudler from the University of Washington and health broadcaster and author Claudia Hammond.
If you have any Curious Cases for the team to solve please email curiouscases@bbc.co.uk
Presenters: Adam Rutherford & Hannah Fry Producer: Michelle Martin.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Oh! |
| 0:04.3 | Welcome to |
| 0:06.5 | F-Said 4 of the curious case of rather than fri- today as Adam just beautifully demonstrated is the case of the mad bad moon |
| 0:15.9 | Is that what we're calling it? I hadn't noticed that yeah |
| 0:19.8 | Can't it be the case of the bad moon rising? |
| 0:23.0 | The bad moon rising. I hadn't considered the title what I don't get it. It's a song. Oh |
| 0:31.0 | Your music again |
| 0:34.6 | Shall we say what this is actually about it's not just about moon based music much to my annoyance |
| 0:42.0 | This episode instead is about why people behave differently during full moons |
| 0:48.1 | Indeed if they do indeed if they do but it was an opportunity for us to make lots of werewolf jokes and reference and mooning jokes |
| 0:56.0 | We didn't make any mooning jokes. No, we've missed an opportunity. Why has this come to us so late? |
| 1:02.2 | No, don't start mooning. No, don't say that because people will write him now |
| 1:09.1 | Oh come on this is how rumours start |
| 1:13.2 | We've got a foot. We've got a living in the photographer |
| 1:19.5 | There is a professional photographer in the booth. I'm calling a jar |
| 1:24.8 | This is going to be leaked. I'm going to be on have I got news for you or in court? |
| 1:30.9 | Okay, where's we go back to the beginning? |
| 1:37.1 | On with the show oh |
| 1:53.8 | The moon is coming through the mist |
| 1:55.8 | Hang on and we are a bit late for Halloween here, but this is today's question |
| 2:00.0 | It's come all the way from El Paso in Texas Jeff Boone writes a teacher |
| 2:05.1 | I work with swears that around the time of each full moon the kids are rowdy in classroom |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.