

You’d think something like the following would be the proverbial stake-in-the-heart that kills something as silly as belief in Astrology, but like most silly beliefs it’ll continue on regardless.

Telegraph | News | Astrologers fail to predict proof they are wrong

For several decades, researchers tracked more than 2,000 people – most of them born within minutes of each other. According to astrology, the subject should have had very similar traits.

The babies were originally recruited as part of a medical study begun in London in 1958 into how the circumstances of birth can affect future health. More than 2,000 babies born in early March that year were registered and their development monitored at regular intervals.

Researchers looked at more than 100 different characteristics, including occupation, anxiety levels, marital status, aggressiveness, sociability, IQ levels and ability in art, sport, mathematics and reading – all of which astrologers claim can be gauged from birth charts.

The scientists failed to find any evidence of similarities between the “time twins”, however. They reported in the current issue of the Journal of Consciousness Studies: “The test conditions could hardly have been more conducive to success . . . but the results are uniformly negative.”

Analysis of the research was carried out by Geoffrey Dean, a scientist and former astrologer based in Perth, Australia, and Ivan Kelly, a psychologist at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Dr Dean said the results undermined the claims of astrologers, who typically work with birth data far less precise than that used in the study. “They sometimes argue that times of birth just a minute apart can make all the difference by altering what they call the ‘house cusps’,” he said. “But in their work, they are happy to take whatever time they can get from a client.”

The findings caused alarm and anger in astrological circles yesterday. Roy Gillett, the president of the Astrological Association of Great Britain, said the study’s findings should be treated “with extreme caution” and accused Dr Dean of seeking to “discredit astrology”.

Dr. Dean doesn’t have to discredit astrology as the facts of the study do that on their own. Not that it should take such a detailed study to convince people that Astrology is phonier than a wooden nickle. Go to two different Astrologers and have them analyze you and you’ll get two different results.

The astrologers, however, have good reason to be alarmed. Astrology as a business rakes in millions of dollars every year and belief in this claptrap has been growing along with belief in other forms of pseudo-science. It probably doesn’t help that Dr. Dean is a former astrologer himself and as such is viewed as something of a traitor to the cause. So people will go on believing this nonsense and the astrologers will continue to rake in the cash by peddling platitudes.

46 thoughts on “Researchers prove Astrology is complete rubbish, piss off Astrologers world-wide.

  1. I don’t believe in astrology.  One look at a chart that one did for my hubby, supposedly a Leo, was enough research for me.  However, there is a local astrologer here who once worked as an Astrological Business Consultant for several large firms in Japan.  To me, she is a cut above what you might find at the fairgrounds.  She not only goes by the minute, but just about to the second on your birth.  If you don’t have that info, she doesn’t do a reading for you.  What I like most about her is that her ADVICE is practical and not at all filled with mumbo-jumbo magic.  She’s also very blunt about the fact that although the stars can influence your future, only YOU can decide where you’re going to step.

  2. Astrology is very accurate.  Anyone who does not beleive it ought to go to and do their chart, you need your time (exact!!!!!) and place of birth.

    You can’t knock it till you’ve tried it.  The study referenced here looks highly innaccurate, was any attention paid to the exact time of the births?  It sounds like they grouped them all together.  Everyone who knows ANYTHING about astrology knows that twins are very different, because they are born at different times.  Also, people make their own choices in life, but may be surprised to see that also reflected by certain transits.

    If the moon can pull our oceans, why can’t the planets pull our inner strings???

  3. Because it’s complete and total nonsense. Give it the fuck up. What is up with all you people who keep showing up and saying “it really does work” without anything to back your statements up?

  4. If the planets could “pull our inerstrings” then so could the doctor, the nurse the wall, the lights, etc.  All these things have a far greater gravitational influence on a baby being born than the nearest planet, star, comet, etc.  Of course, if you knew that you would probably know something about physics, and you wouldn’t believe in astrology.  The real reason belief in astrology is so stupid is that it’s not based on anything.  The fact that nobody can replicate any of the results means that no one could have figured out how the system works in the first place. Not to mention the fact that if the system ever did work it wold be thousands of years out of date.

  5. If the moon can pull our oceans, why can’t the planets pull our inner strings???

    because…that is pure science, determined by factors such as the rotation of the earth. the moon and the ocean are not related just because we say so…unlike some things that you are referring to.

  6. In my expeirence, astrology is to the star children what prayer is to a bible thumper.. its something you rely or blame, when either you dont care , or dont feel like physically lifting a finger, or find you self in some way helpess.. can i get an amen?  dw

    if some broken matter from an exploded mass rules our destiny we better jump f’n ship….

  7. I agree that Astrology is complete bullshit.  If there were a test that would ask you different questions about yourself and then guess what sign you are, it would show how obviously incorrect it all is.  I searched vigorously online to find a site that would provide a test and then give your sign according to the answers given, but to no avail.  I wonder why…

    You all might find this enjoyable:

  8. A while ago there was a news “Astrology is Rubbish, not Science”. As a believer of Astrology it was very disturbing. As well as in India, the govt. had included Astrology as a subject of science, however, it was challenged by some professors in the supreme court of India and was not included as a sujbect of science.

    However, I read a news on and was very satisfied that Astrology has been included as a subject of Science and will be taught in Indian Universities.

    There was another article that proved Astrology is an offshoot of Astronomy i.e.,

    I hope you would let the world knows what Astrology is Science and not Rubbish.


  9. Sorry to disappoint you, Nitin, but Astrology is complete and total rubbish. There’s nothing at all scientific about it.

  10. My experience has been that astrologers can easily predict the general trends in your life. However, in the west there is an undue obsession with your Sun sign. If the Sun is in Aries, then you have only Arian habits – that is totally incorrect. It matters equally what sign yiur Moon is in, your Jupiter is in, your Mars is in and so on. If your sun is inAries and three other planets are in taurus, you are bound to have Taurean traits. The Vedic Dasha system is a very, very powerful predictive tool. Why it works, nobody knows. But work it does.


    It’s no big deal to easily predict the general trends in anybody’s life. The trick is to make specific and accurate predictions about individuals beyond what a shrewd cold reader can do.

    Cold (and warm) readings are very, very powerful predictive tools. Why they work is well known, however grin

    (captcha: think)

  12. Thanks for the belly laugh, Neeta. I can almost imagine you saying that with a straight face.  LOL

  13. Astrology- long time no see.


    She doesn’t do any then, as no one knows the precise second.  I assume this is a joke.

    How come astrologers never ask which way your mother was pointing at the time of birth? Surely the gravity would be coming from the other end if she had her head up the other end.  And why is it the point that the cord is cut and official independent life begins- the brain is formed by then.  It would be interesting to find out at what point the cells are ‘set’.

    Given that tall buildings can be demonstrated to attract mass- they are big enough to generate their own measurable field does it not make a difference whether you were born in a isolated cottage, or a sky scraper.  How was all this discovered anyway, aside from ‘the ancients were very wise’?

  14. As far as the experiment of twin birth goes one should study the theory of Krishnamurty Padhatti and will be able to know how the twin will behave diffewrently in their life.

  15. I absolutely agree that it’s foolishness.
    The tests are all the sort of information a cold-reader would give you- that is to say that they give you something vague and you supply your own meaning.
    For instance, Tauroses have tempers according to some lists. An extroverted Tauros who yells and gets angry would say, “Yeah, that’s me” while an introvert who spends their time seething would also say, “Yeah, that’s me.”
    People who believe in astrology need to critically analyze everything they’ve been told so they can realize it’s a scam.

  16. Spam or a True Believer™?

    Any sane person who’s not taken in by the astrology claptrap thinks of it as rubbish because it is rubbish and a con.

    Note the classical cop-out: If you don’t believe it, it won’t work for you.


    Don’t tell me… Are they the Kazakstan Football squad?

  18. Pingback: I didn’t write about the Astrology uproar over changing signs… « Stupid Evil Bastard

  19. Les you sure do make a lot of noise about astrology being fake without offering a shred of evidence to support your notion. I personally believe there is more truth a complete lie than astronomy, but if I were to make an argument for or against something such as you have, I would provide links and evidence to support my claim, ESPECIALLY if I was whining about others not doing that. Idiot.


    The burden of proof rests on astrology.

    *munches popcorn*

  21. Perhaps astrology and Nostradamus are harmless, as some would likely say. I don’t think I agree, but I will say this for certain: humanity would certainly seem a lot smarter if people paid more attention to James Randi than to horoscopes.

  22. I did, and I was surprised, it was 80% so true,got excited,  and hen i put in a randon time. date/ year and unfortunately it was still 80% really true:(::(

  23. If astrology was really true then why is it your birth date that all of the sudden the planets effect you? How come it wouldn’t have already post conception? Totally doesn’t make sense that just because “bloop” we’re now out of the womb that it’s then that we get zapped by the planets.

  24. the reason people can relate to every sign is because almost every sign is present in their chart. even if the signs arent there, there are probably signs of the same element or mode which is why we’re all influenced simlarly. theres soooo much depth to it, if you really look into it it makes sense. its true that people have used astrology the wrong way, they generalize it and use it as a tool to manipulate others for money or enjoy the power trip. you can argue that why wouldnt other objects affect us at our birth, but think about the crazy amount of energy something like a planet holds. the beauty of it is that you cant prove it. even things that are supposedly proven…how do you know if youre even being told the truth. astrology is a map, a blueprint. doesnt mean that youll always follow its path, there are far too many possibilities in the world to depend on it 100%, its just pleasant to be in tune with what WORKS with you. just my 2 cents. from a scorpio sun.

  25. I’m sorry Steff, but it’s bullshit.

    You write:

    the beauty of it is that you cant prove it.

    If you can’t explain how it works then on what basis can you claim that it does work? Anecdotes aren’t proof of anything other than perhaps a gullible mind.


    In science there’s no such thing as “proven”. That’s only in mathematics. Accepted theory in science is based on the amount of evidence supporting the theory. You can look at what the theory says and the evidence being provided for and against the theory to make a pretty good judgement on how accurate a given theory is. It’s really not that hard, but it does require you to put some work in if you really want to understand things.

    But it’s oh so much easier to just accept ideas that appeal to you regardless of whether or not there’s any basis for them. Thus things like astrology continue to flourish among the intellectually lazy.

  26. Ever noticed how it’s always Leos and Pisceans who tell you their star sign? They are the two so-called most generous signs. Whilst Virgos and Scorpios always seem to shy away from telling their sign. They are the two so-called meanest signs…

    Astrology works because people have 2 things that enable it: The first is an ego. The second is a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) which controls how we organise relevant information. For example, the RAS allows you to spot patterns, remember similar occurrences and learn things that are relevant to you. Ever noticed how when you buy a new car, you start seeing that car everywhere? That’s your RAS working. It does this to ensure survival. In hunter-gatherer times, humans had to have a way of recognising the fruits etc that were good or bad for them so they could know to pick the same ones the next time they came across them, or avoid them.

    In the case of astrology, if you are told that you are a particular sign whose trait is “boldness” for example, your RAS will pick all the times it can recall in your life when you were bold. You may only have been bold a handful of times in your life and the rest of the time you were a shrinking violet, but those few times you WERE bold will be highlighted intensely in your mind and you will believe that you are, in fact, a bold person. If you are indoctrinated into this trait about yourself at a young age, while your self-opinions are still forming, you will begin to act in a way that accords with this belief; you will essentially become what you believe yourself to be. It is not because of the stars that you do this; it’s because your mind, which is powerful and receptive, made you do it.

    To get back to the other reason astrology works, ego: a lot of people born under signs that are said to bestow the more – for lack of a better term – “badass” traits, like courage, bravery, feistiness, unflagging faith, positivity and selflessness, are often harder to convince that astrology is bunkum and they’ve been conned. And rightly they would be, because it’s hard to give up such traits, especially in today’s peace-rich and war-hungry society. But they needn’t worry. All they need to know is that they can always have such traits, and more, if they truly believe in the power of their own minds to create their reality. After all, their traits are merely an invention of their own minds, and they have been ‘doing’ their sign of their own free will, all along. Should they choose, they can just as effectively ‘do’ another sign. Or they can do them all! (The greatest people in history have done this, e.g. Jesus, Alexander the Great & others).

    Finally, it’s worth noting that many people who were not brought up in a belief in astrology DON’T, in fact, resemble their signs. For example, the two greatest entertainers of all time, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, were born under the apparently dull signs of Capricorn and Virgo, respectively. Osama bin Laden, that heartless architect of mass murder, was born a Pisces, the supposedly most compassionate and benign sign. Nelson Mandela and Julius Caesar were born under Cancer, the “coward” of the zodiac. If you tell these facts to a practising astrologer, they will simply reply that other planetary forces must have been at work to alter these people’s personalities. But here is the problem: an astrologer ALWAYS seems to find an excuse to explain why actual traits don’t match up with the person’s sign. I even heard one say that I was romantic because I was born on a Friday, the ‘day of Venus’, when no other romantic influences were found in my chart. I finally concluded that some people can never be convinced of something’s falsehood because they have a deep-seated NEED to limit themselves in life. But this poses problems for those of us who don’t want or need those limits. I once read a birthday book which had a personality description for every day of the year. As I read each page, I realised most of the descriptions on the pages OTHER than that of my birthday actually fit my personality much better. In fact, every single page I read said something true about me, and the revelations were often so unique that I couldn’t help exclaiming aloud as I read.

    Do distant bodies in space have any effect on our behaviour? Or is it WE who have an effect on our behaviour? To know once and for all, we would have to see an influence in those of us who cannot understand or have never been exposed to astrology: people living in obscure communities, the adopted with incorrect birth records, and animals. If astrology holds any weight, the planets should not discriminate between life forms and we should see a pattern of striking similarities across the spectrum of living beings born at a particular time of year. Otherwise, it’s all just the power of suggestion acting on fanciful and gullible minds.

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  28. And those who claim that when the exact time of birth with seconds and microsecond precision is jnown then astrology is correct. Ok let me agree.. But can u ppl give a damn surety that the time shown on your wrist watch is same (atleast minute’s accuracy leave apart the second’s accuracy)as the doctor’s or same as the hospital’s at the time of birth of a child?? then which time u r gonna follow??? your watch ?? doctor’s?? hospital’s??

  29. Come to India. It is funny to see how leading TV channels dedicate several hours of their airtime to discuss Astrology. People call up astrologers and cry and plead to get solutions for their personal problems. Astrologers are consulted for the most approriate timing in announcing elections, starting campaigns, marketing a product and even rocket launches and inauguration of nuclear reactors. Looks like whole socienty is in the firm grip of astrologers and clerics.

  30. Great article Les and what a beautiful explanation Alita, wow. I have moved to India and the place is filthy with astrologers. They advertise on local TV channels/newspapers and charge for each question asked and profess to have solutions to all problems, for which they charge extra. While there is not an iota of doubt that astrology is utter nonsense, astrologers here are making a killing.

  31. 1. Astrology fails to succeed when tested against reality. For example, if the distribution of heavenly bodies at birth has any implication into the life-course of the child, then twins should be virtually identical in their future, interests, talents, and personalities. Of course, this is not the case.

    2. Because of the precession of the earth’s axis, star positions relative to our planet have changed since astrological calendars were invented centuries ago. Thus, the “signs” are no longer valid. The error grows greater every year.

    3. The gravity of stars and planets is the only force that could effect earth, and for the vast majority of heavenly bodies, this effect is negligible.

  32. Conclusion:

    The stars do have a specific message for humanity, but that message isn’t transmitted through astrology.

    this is what i have got somewhere from internet and i am so happy and satisfied with above comments….do not loose your money and time in reading or consulting astrology or astrologers…i have wasted lot of time and money….be strong and plan well..some silly mistakes can actually affect your plan well and live well….u will get success sure…

  33. All the people in my life are not what their sun, moon or ascendant signs are like. I as a water sign have never been “in tune” with any other water signs no matter how many I came in contact with, we just didn’t “click” or get along. I have checked my signs in all western, indian and chinese astrology, didn’t identify with any of them otherwise their predictions are constantly changing. Astrology is people using planets to control your life, who the hell will listen to them if they with no backup, try to tell who and what you are. Since planets can do no harm (unlike a deity or a higher power), it’s at their disposal. They couldn’t care less, but as long as you are putting money into their pockets, they will “pretend” to care.

  34. As a person who got somewhat suckered into the illusory world that astrology is, I can verify that Alita nailed much of and nailed it very well.

    I never did believe 100%, but I was new on the internet and at a limbo-low kind of phase. Vulnerability. Curiosity. The wonder and magic of being able to draw up one of these fancy pretty birth charts with all those intricate-looking lines and all the data to make sense of – i can verify the Confirmation Bias and the Forer Effect, though I will give them this, that some of them are very clever – or they seem that way – because you’ve already gone that far; that’s what kept bugging me: I don’t really believe in this, but why am I still checking it out, what is the gluey magical trick I’m falling for or that my mind ended up stuck in?

    Because I really found myself spending way too much time THINKING about it: what do they mean by these statements (because they are so cleverly vague, but sprinkled with just enough partial-broad truths).

    The trick I fell for was that one where they say, “oh don’t go by that sun sign astrology or those newspaper astrologers. That’s not REAL astrology.” Or – “of course you don’t completely identify with your sun sign because you have so many other planets and houses to consider – go on over to such and such site and you can have your own unique birth chart made, but you will need an exact time of birth…” so I say, Okay I’ll play. Let’s see what they say.

    I think if you go that far – well to get that far the bars of incredulity or suspicion or skepticism have to be lowered somewhat, or you’d be unaware or less observant of the confirmation bias that is suddenly turned up a few notches- so you have all these UNIQUE planet placements, that’s ALL ABOUT YOU. Well now you want to go and read a few of the descriptions: moon in this sign, mercury in that sign, blah blah blah… wow! now that sounds like me! How did they do that? Except… well some of it just doesn’t fit what I know of myself (especially when they depart the flattery territory).

    Ah. But that’s not all. What about aspects? The aspects are incredibly crucial. Aspects? Okay let me go and read about aspects. Same thing. Wow that’s so accurate – but not quite. Same thing is done with the houses. the angles. Oh and throw in a few asteroids. And the different house systems.

    Thing is, by the time your mind is that deeply involved- again I’ll say the internet plays a big role – well they have oodles of internet articles and sites and forums and videos, where the participants are already more astute and studied – sort of like entering a world of its own, could almost call it cultish or a tunnel-cult, and a kind of cushion begins to form that will block out more reasonable evidence that the whole things is nothing but an illusion or a chasing after a phantasm; never catch it, never really get anywhere.

    Then one day something clicked and the most obvious question: how the fuck do you know what any of these placements signify? Maybe it’s just all made-up generalizations, written not for someone on top of their game but for someone passing by who might be in at a low point, some set of circumstances raised the vulnerability, etc.

    So I started to look at it in that light and I could laugh at it (and myself), and the more I pulled back, took a more overview stance, come to sites like this; helps a lot.

    I could go on all day about this, but suffice to say I haven’t felt this good about myself and about life since the time I was unaware of where all my planets were in an astrological birth chart.

    So anybody out there who’s been through the same kind of thing: hey I can sympathize, but please, please, do yourself a favor and see how much better real life is when you put away those charts and those planets and those frankly prejudicial underpinnings.

    Real life. Now there’s a concept.

  35. a couple follow-up thoughts if you don’t mind: since seeing the light about how they work their magic and considering it a sort of recovery, I’ve been browsing some of the astrology sites and getting quite a lot of laughs.

    This recovery was helped with a nice long walk yesterday and during that walk I concluded that someone who goes to another to seek an ‘interpretation’ about themselves, or agreeing to be interpreted, it’s about like saying, “here’s my brain – feel free to rape it” and what I really got a kick out of was that every time I saw the word ‘astrologer’ I replaced it with ‘serial brain rapist’.

    Oh and speaking of synchronicity, the movie, The Truman Show happened to be on yesterday; And true to the principle of ‘as on the screen, so within me’ there was that dawning in Truman that he knew something not quite right was afoot (he knew there was something there) when he came to realize he could predict when certain things would happen, like someone would ride by on a bike.

    It’s been quite a hoot to apply the same predictive principle to astrology articles, because I do pretty good at predicting what they are going to say. I say, “I predict this astrologer whining about the mean old skeptics will say something like: those sun sign columns in the newspaper are not real astrology” and sure enough – someone rides by on a bike. Sometimes it is a very flowery-dressed bike but it is still a bike and the same kind of character is riding it (so a serial brain rapist on a bike rides by your house…)

    I predict that an impressively high proportion of astrological articles one comes upon will say that anyone who ridicules astrology has no idea what real astrology is all about.

    I also predict that if the astrologer admits their craft is not about prediction they will say their goal is to help people find their link to the universe or their place in the universe – odds are very good the word ‘path’ with appear at least several times – the word ‘keen’ is also a beloved word, mainly in those so personal descriptions about your unique self, there will be something you are very ‘keen’ on or about. I’m pretty sure I could spout off a few more predictions but these predicting powers are pretty damn pooped out. It’s such a complicated, energy-expensive work (oh yes I would predict the word Energy will appear in many an astrology article).

    hey thanks for letting me rant-ramble here. I haven’t laughed so hard in any day since we entered the Age of Aqua Man.

  36. Although the article is pretty old I will still leave a reply because there his one thing I really hate is people saying something is complete bullshits with only arrogance to back up their claim and a random study. I could prove anything with a study with some stats well presented. How do I know ? Because it’s my job.

    But the funny part is that I tired to find this study because it interested me to see how it was made up and guess what : It has never been published because there are some data who could have back up astrology.

    People who pick random statements from the medias and believe in it are morons.

  37. Les, for the heck of it and to prove your point, you should have a “professional astrologer” do your birh chart and then you can analyze the results and publish how accurate/inaccurate astrology is! Lead by example Les!

    It would also be interesting to see for example how a big group of lottery winners managed to pull it off, since astrologers claim that you have to have certain planets at certain degrees in certain houses to be able to win the lottery… So what a coincidence that would be if any astrologer or group of winners can prove how true/untrue that is.


  38. Are you seriously suggesting that whatever the outcome of my one experiment would somehow counteract the study cited in this article that tracked 2,000 people over the course of several decades? And what would the results of one astrologer prove other than perhaps they’re a good guesser?

    Winnie, do you even know what the scientific method is?

  39. “Dr [sic] Dean said the results undermined the claims of astrologers, who typically work with birth data far less precise than that used in the study. ‘They sometimes argue that times of birth just a minute apart can make all the difference by altering what they call the “house cusps”,’ he said. ‘But in their work, they are happy to take whatever time they can get from a client.'”

    I find myself with more questions from this one paragraph than answers from this entire article. You know you’re a lazy journalist when your reader has to do more research than you did.

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