There has been much debate about whether or not astrology is a true science. Most associate astrology with the weekly horoscopes frequently advertised in magazines, such as Refinery29 and Cosmopolitan. While they are admittedly fun to read every now and then, it’s unlikely that the paragraph telling you that you’re going to find love this week is very accurate. However, there has been some evidence that astrology has some scientific linkage.

Astrology attempts to explain things such as one’s personality or outcome of their future through star constellations. There are twelve zodiac signs, and each has a specific personality. Scientists have noticed that those who have schizophrenia are more likely to have been born in February, January, and March. While it was definitely not the main commonality, it had a large enough impact for them to note. 

A similar discover was made in those with bipolar disorder. Those who have winter and early spring birthdays usually suffer from the worst symptoms, while those who were born in late summer and early fall are less likely to develop it. In addition, those who are more likely to think suicidal thoughts were born in between April and June, and dyslexia is strongest in those born in the summer. 

In the 1950s, French psychologist Michel Gauquelin conducted astrological experiments and found a statistical correlation between one’s athletic ability and the position of Mars during the time of one’s birth. Many sport champions were found to have been born right after Mars rose, and this discovery was approved by famous psychologist and statistician Hans Eysenck.

But is there any validity behind these discoveries? While they do raise some suspicion, we still cannot determine whether or not there’s truly accurate science to back it up. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley created a “Scientific Checklist” to test how scientific astrology really is by comparing it to other scientific concepts. They looked into whether or not astrology focuses on the natural world and seeks to prove it, which it technically does, as it is based on the idea that the positions and movements of the stars and planets influence human affairs and terrestrial events. Moreover, it is in fact testable, and usually does rely on evidence when referred to in credible papers and studies.

However, many still reject astrology as a science because the points do not seem logical. There is only scientific evidence that proves that there are only two long-range forces known to us, gravity and electromagnetism. But astrology seems to continue to persist because many people attest that their horoscopes have come true, or that they properly reflect who they believe they are. Whether this is out of sheer will or genuine science cannot be 100 percent known, but many continue to religiously read their horoscopes regardless.