The Jordan Harbinger Show 1320: The Moon | Skeptical Sunday
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May 3, 2026 
Jessica Wynn, writer and researcher who co-hosts Skeptical Sunday, unpacks lunar myths with evidence-based clarity. She traces origin stories, explains tides and why the Moon does not tug our bodies, and describes how it stabilized Earth's tilt. Short, skeptical takes on moonlight, animal cues, and why belief persists despite data.
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Stop Blaming The Moon For Health And Behavior
- Don't attribute health or behavioral changes to lunar gravity; everyday forces and local objects exert far stronger effects.
- Jessica Wynn compares a phone's gravitational pull and building mass to show the Moon's pull is negligible.
Moon Stabilizes Earth's Tilt And Slows Our Rotation
- The Moon stabilizes Earth's axial tilt and creates tidal friction that gradually lengthens days while pushing the Moon away.
- Wynn: tidal bulges drag ahead of the Moon, slowing Earth's rotation ~2 ms per century and moving the Moon ~1.5 inches per year.
Wildlife Use Moonlight And Tides As Biological Calendars
- Moonlight and tides act as environmental cues for many species, driving behaviors like coral spawning and grunion beaching.
- Examples: Great Barrier Reef corals spawn after full moons; grunion use spring tides to reproduce on beaches.