Is it really made of cheese?

Many moons ago: 10 lunar facts you might not know

Image: Sanni Sahil

Humanity has always had the Moon as a companion, using it to track time and the seasons and even believing it capable of affecting people’s behavior. As Earth’s only natural satellite, the Moon has a significant influence on our planet, from causing tides to keeping the globe from tilting even more. Let’s learn more about her!

Image: Nicolas Thomas

No one is certain about how the Moon came to be, but scientists have some educated guesses. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that the Moon is a by-product of a collision between a very young planet Earth and another celestial body the size of Mars. This collision not only left Earth permanently tilted, but it also blasted large amounts of material into space. The Moon is thought to have formed from this debris and, in consequence, is related to Earth.

Image: Dennys Hess

Similar to Earth, the Moon also experiences ‘earthquakes’ or, in this case, moonquakes. But, unlike Earth, the Moon lacks tectonic plates. Instead, its seismic activity is caused by meteorite impacts, the gravitational pull of the Earth and the Sun, and shrinkage due to heating and cooling. These quakes are nowhere near as strong as an earthquake, but they are significant enough to pose challenges for the construction of permanent lunar bases.

Image: v2osk

One side of the Moon is always obscured, but this doesn’t mean it is perpetually dark. Each face of the moon experiences about two weeks of sunlight at a time, while the other side experiences night. However, one of its sides is constantly facing away from the Earth, which means there is a side that we don’t see. It has been called ‘the far side’ and ‘the dark side’, not because it lacks light, but because it is unknown.

Image: Bernd 📷 Dittrich

We always see the same face of the Moon from Earth, but its appearance changes depending on our location. It’s largely a matter of perspective: from the Northern hemisphere, the Moon is perceived "upright", while in the Southern hemisphere it appears effectively "upside down." A waxing crescent moon looks like a "D" in the North, but like a "C" in the South, with the light on the left. This explains why Northern hemisphere cultures have traditionally seen a man or rabbit in the Moon, while Southern hemisphere cultures haven’t. The markings on the Moon are the same, but they are perceived differently.

Image: NASA

American astronauts and Soviet spacecraft landers have left several flags and banners on the Moon, but they are merely symbolic. According to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, outer space and its celestial bodies—the Moon included—belong to mankind as a whole, and can’t be legally claimed by a single nation or owned as private property. The same treaty states that the Moon can only be used for peaceful purposes, prohibiting military installations and nuclear weapons. In recent years, however, the U.S. and other countries have challenged the Outer Space Treaty.

Image: Jenin Abumazen

The Moon has its own gravity, weaker than Earth’s because of the size difference, yet it still exerts a significant influence on our planet. The Moon’s gravitational pull helps stabilize Earth’s axial tilt, preventing it from shifting constantly. This pull is the reason tides exist: water is a fluid, so it moves much more easily than land when pulled by the Moon’s gravitational force, creating the familiar rise and fall of the oceans.

Image: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Did you know that only twelve people have ever walked on the Moon? Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first to do so, on July 20, 1969, and the last was Gene Cernan on December 14, 1972. All twelve moonwalkers were American astronauts from NASA’s Apollo program. In total, six Apollo missions successfully landed astronauts on the Moon.

Image: Victor Kallenbach

Unlike solar eclipses, the Moon is not completely darkened during a lunar eclipse. It is illuminated by the refraction of sunlight on Earth. As the light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, it scatters, causing the light and the Moon to be perceived as reddish or as a ‘Blood Moon.’

Image: Benjamin Voros

Solar calendars are widely used today, but this wasn’t always the case. The lunar cycle and the phases of the Moon have been used to track time for thousands of years, and they are the origin of the idea of months and weeks. Although most of the world now officially uses the Gregorian solar calendar, the continued importance of lunar calendars can be seen in observances such as the Lunar New Year in many Asian cultures, the calculation of Easter in Christianity, Ramadan in the Islamic world, and festivals such as Holi and Diwali in Hindu traditions.

Image: Luca

Werewolves, witches, lunatics. What does the Moon have to do with them? Cultures all around the world have, at some point, believed that the Moon had a powerful influence on human behavior, much as it does on Earth itself. Full moons in particular were thought to cause sleep deprivation and worsen mental conditions. Individuals who were ‘moonstruck’ were dubbed ‘lunatics,’ after luna, the Latin word for the Moon.

10 weird historical events that no one has been able to explain (yet)

Image: Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who doesn't like a good mystery? And if the mystery isn’t a work of fiction but the result of a true story, even better! The great unsolved enigmas of history are absolutely fascinating. Some have been solved over time, but there are still many old secrets for which neither scientists nor historians have found an explanation—yet. Time-travel with us as we uncover 10 of the biggest historical mysteries that will probably never be cracked!

Image: Tanner, Henry S., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bermeja Island is mentioned in navigation texts written by European travelers and appears in cartography from the 16th to 19th centuries. Old maps place it off the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula; however, multiple searches over the years have yielded no concrete evidence of its existence.

So, what happened to Isla Bermeja? Was it a cartographic error? Did it sink due to a tidal wave? Because of its geopolitical significance, some have even suggested that it was blown up by the CIA! A 2009 study by the Autonomous University of Mexico concluded that Isla Bermeja does not exist today, nor were any traces found at its supposed coordinates. Yet, it will forever remain a mystery that will surely keep many entertained.

Image: Credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope, used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, detected a signal now known as the Wow! signal. While reviewing the data, astronomer Jerry R. Ehman noticed a sequence represented as "6EQUJ5." Baffled by the anomaly, he circled it and wrote "Wow!" in the margins.

The signal lasted 72 seconds and, unfortunately, has never been repeated. To this day, no one can fully explain the phenomenon, although some suggest it may have come from a man-made source. Still, the Wow! signal remains one of the strongest candidates for potential extraterrestrial contact ever detected.

Image: Edward S. Curtis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How is it possible for an entire village to vanish without a trace? Believe it or not, this is said to have happened nearly a century ago. According to lore, a small Inuit village in Canada was well known among fur trappers who visited regularly to trade. But in 1930, something very strange supposedly occurred.

A hunter named Joe Labelle claimed he visited the village one day and couldn’t find a single person. Reports said there were guns and food left behind, and even claims that the graves in the cemetery were empty. A thorough investigation, however, found no conclusive evidence of what happened to the villagers. Some witnesses from nearby towns even reported seeing a huge green light. Theories ranged from mass migration to extraterrestrial abductions. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has since dismissed the case as an urban legend. Some still believe the story to be true.

Image: bbb

We know thousands of shipwreck stories, but this one is quite unique. The MV Joyita, designed to be nearly unsinkable, was found adrift in the South Pacific, practically unharmed, but the crew had disappeared completely.

In October 1955, the American merchant vessel left the port of Apia in Samoa with 16 crew members and 9 passengers bound for the Tokelau Islands. After days without news, a rescue mission was launched. Five weeks later, the Joyita was spotted more than 600 miles west of its intended route. The vessel was partially submerged, and there was no sign of the passengers or crew. Four tons of cargo and all three life rafts were missing. They were never seen again.

Image: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know where one of the best-preserved mummies was found? Hint: not in Egypt. Xin Zhui, the Marquise of Dai during the Western Han Dynasty in China, was discovered in her tomb at Mawangdui 2,000 years after her death, along with hundreds of valuable documents and artifacts.

What makes this mummy so extraordinary is how well-preserved her body is. Her organs and veins remain intact, and she still has hair and even eyelashes. Scientists analyzed the fluid present in the coffin and discovered it was acidic and contained salt and magnesium. They believe this mysterious liquid may have been responsible for preserving Xin Zhui so well. What they don’t know is whether it was intentionally poured into the coffin or came from the body itself.

Image: Yoichi Okamoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The United States has its fair share of presidents who died while in office, but none of our 45 presidents have ever disappeared without a trace. Did you know that this actually happened in The Land Down Under?

Harold Edward Holt was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He loved the ocean and spearfishing. During a weekend trip with friends, Holt visited the remote Cheviot Beach to take a swim. Rough sea conditions that day caused him to be swept away by the waves, and he never reappeared. Despite an intensive search, his body was never found, which has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Ironically, Australians built the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre in Melbourne in his honor.

Image: FBI, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many famous criminals have managed to remain unidentified for decades, but the D.B. Cooper case is something else entirely. In 1971, Cooper boarded a flight from Portland to Seattle. Shortly after takeoff, he showed a flight attendant a device he claimed was a bomb and demanded four parachutes and $200,000 in cash.

The crew landed to meet Cooper’s demands in exchange for the passengers and then took off again. As the plane flew over southwestern Washington, Cooper jumped into the cold, rainy night carrying his haul. His whereabouts and true identity were never discovered, although it is likely he didn’t survive the jump. In 1980, some of the ransom money was found near the Columbia River. Although the FBI officially closed the case in 2016, amateur sleuths continue to try to crack it.

Image: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you imagine an epidemic where the main symptom is uncontrollable dancing? Sounds like science fiction, doesn’t it? Yet this really happened during the Middle Ages. In 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg, Alsace, in what is now France. This strange condition affected up to 400 people, making them dance frantically for weeks. It is said that some even died of heart attacks, exhaustion, or strokes.

Doctors and authorities tried all kinds of measures to stop the spread. They even banned music for a while! To this day, scientists are not certain what caused this bizarre condition: it may have been food poisoning from toxins in the ergot fungus, or perhaps a case of stress-induced mass hysteria.

Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Voynich manuscript is a codex written roughly 500 years ago in an unknown language and writing system by an anonymous author. Known as Voynichese, the manuscript was named after Wilfrid Voynich, a Polish bibliophile and antiquarian who purchased it in 1912.

Radiocarbon testing has shown that it dates to the early 15th century. Many cryptographers and codebreakers have attempted to decipher its roughly 240 pages without success. The manuscript contains diagrams and illustrations of unknown plants and astrological symbols. Some believe it may be a made-up language, a secret code, a work of fiction, or even a hoax. If you think you can solve this mystery, the Voynich manuscript is available for viewing at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Image: Bernhard

Similar to the Voynich manuscript, the Phaistos Disc is a fired clay disc believed to have been created during the Bronze Age. It was discovered by an Italian archaeologist in the basement of a palace in Crete, Greece, in 1908.

What makes this disc fascinating is that it contains a mysterious message. Stamped into the clay is a set of signs, forming a text that many scientists have tried to decipher—without success. It is considered an early attempt at printing, a technological innovation that would not become widespread for several centuries. While enthusiasts still hope the enigma can be solved, this is unlikely unless other documents are discovered to provide context.