The Mars Effect
French psychologist Michel Gauquelin set out to disprove astrological theory, but his research showed some interesting results. Between 1956 and 1961, Gauquelin and his wife analysed more than 25,000 dates and times of births from registers in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Holland. They discovered that more scientists were born under Saturn or Mars, athletes under Mars, soldiers under Mars or Jupiter, and writers under Venus or the Moon than could be explained by pure chance.
Researchers in both North America and Great Britain also identified ' the Mars effect' , as Gauquelins theory became known. They noted similar correlations between specific planets and success among superachieving professionals - American lawyers peaked in Gemini, British politicians in Aries, and diplomats in Gemini. Efforts by sceptics to discredit Gauquelin were unsuccessful, and eminent psychologist Hans Eysenck has acknowledged that " there is something here that requires explanation", even though these findings " may go against the grain ".
