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Many people are interested in their zodiac signs and read their horoscopes daily with high expectations. They are usually interested in astrology (which, by the way, is quite different from astronomy). Whether in newspapers, magazines, or daily texts—horoscopes claim to give us insights into our personality, strengths and weaknesses, as well as our fate. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the topic and uncover why all of this is nonsense.

Horoscopes Are Based on Superstition

The foundation of horoscopes is the idea that the positions of the stars and planets at the time of our birth influence our lives. But this has no scientific basis and is simply superstition. The stars and planets obviously have no influence on who we are.

But the idea isn’t new. Astrology and horoscopes have been around for a long time. The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, and Greeks observed celestial bodies and tried to predict the fate of kings and rulers. The first known depiction of the zodiac dates back to the 5th century BC, developed by the Greeks. The Romans later adopted the twelve zodiac signs, which are used in Western astrology today.

Over time, many different types of astrology have emerged, practiced in various cultures.

Different Forms of Horoscopes

In the USA, Europe, and Australia, Western astrology, based on the zodiac, is very popular. Chinese astrology operates on a twelve-year zodiac cycle, while Vedic astrology has its roots in the Indian subcontinent and considers the positions of the planets at the time of our birth. There are even other systems like the Mayan calendar or the Celtic tree calendar that offer their own horoscopes. But no matter how many there are, they’re all the same nonsense.

Scientific Evidence Against Horoscopes

Although horoscopes are entertaining and have a long history, there is certainly no scientific evidence for their accuracy. Studies show that horoscopes are not reliable when it comes to predicting future events or creating an accurate personality profile. For example, one study found that people could identify just as well with a randomly selected horoscope as they could with one specifically made for them. People convince themselves that it’s plausible and somehow relates to their personality when they read something. Furthermore, astrological predictions are often so vague that they can apply to many people.

People also often seek meaning and direction in their lives, and horoscopes give them a sense of control. They tend to remember only the instances where their horoscope was accurate and forget the others, leading to a confirmation bias.

Horoscopes Are Based on a False Understanding of Astronomy

In addition to being based on a misunderstanding of astronomy, horoscopes refer to the positions of stars and planets in the zodiac. However, the zodiac is a concept of astrology and has nothing to do with astronomy. In astronomy, we use constellations to understand the night sky. Astrology uses the twelve zodiac signs, which are based on an ancient idea of dividing the sky into twelve sections. This division has nothing to do with the actual constellations in the sky; it refers to the positions of the sun and planets relative to the Earth. This further demonstrates that horoscopes are simply not scientifically founded.

Closing Words

So, what can we say in conclusion other than that horoscopes are solely based on superstition? Even though they are entertaining for some people, they should not be regarded as a reliable source of information for personality traits or future events.