Why oysters close on the full moon—and more odd lunar effects on animals
New research shows that the moon has unexpected and fascinating impacts on marine animals, from oysters to worms to plankton.
A full moon is looming—and it will have a big impact on animals, especially those in the ocean.
Recent studies show that many types of animals have biological clocks finely tuned to the cycles of the moon, which drives fascinating and sometimes bizarre patterns of behavior.
Besides revealing hidden aspects of animal life, the research also has implications for better understanding the circadian clocks present in all animals, including humans. (Read more about how the moon affects life on Earth.)
The first circadian clocks evolved in the oceans, so studying them in marine animals can tell us a lot about how they evolved and how they work and interact with each other, explains Kim Last, a researcher at the Scottish
