Skepticism

Can Astrology Predict an Earthquake?

Answer: apparently not.

Leo, today’s a great day to glue all your fine porcelain to your shelves. Virgo: why not spend the day cowering in your bathtub? Libras should put that famous balance to good use today.

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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31 Comments

  1. I predict low cut blouse with ample cleavage causes this Libra’s “house” to be on the cusp of ascension.

  2. Hi there!

    At least she had the decency to wear an inappropriately low-cut shirt.

    Unfortunately, she also had the decency to keep it on. :P

  3. Agreed. If they made videos of “psychic predictions” or “astrological reports” in the vein of The Naked News, perhaps I’d watch.

    …I wouldn’t pay attention to what she said, but I could certainly make a couple of slightly more accurate personal predictions.

  4. Why would the stars be concerned about tectonic events? It’s way more amusing to give vague relationship advice, and watch people make important relationship decisions based on your ramblings.

    Man, the stars are kind of dicks.

  5. JOHNEA13, a claim like that really needs someone wittier than me to come up with a brilliantly-phrased comparison, about bulging out into a massive pulsating red giant, occasionally bursting out with an earth-shaking explosion as its hot white power is unleashed, and shrivelling away into a white dwarf when most of its life force is spent. (I’m not touching the metaphorical possibilities of a black hole, though.)

  6. “Hey baby. They call me Ophiuchus, because I bear a serpent. All that rumbling earth’s got me feeling Capricorn-y. Looks like Venus is rising…in my pants. Why don’t we teach Virgo a thing or two?”

    Astrological pick-up lines = WIN

  7. Just after the quake while my coworkers and I were finishing up a particularly bland Chinese food lunch the first fortune cookie opened did say “As long as your feet are firmly planted on the ground nothing can shake you.”

  8. cubiksrube:

    Most stars larger than red dwarfs exist as part of binary (or larger) systems. Just sayin’.

    Expatria and teambanzai:

    Win and win. COTW material.

  9. Kinda like watching the latest big budget movie. I found myself paying less attention to the dialogue and more attention to the…special effects.

  10. She is an astrologer so I find myself entirely incapable of seeing her as attractive in any way. But, you know, brilliant predictive powers there sport.

    slightly related: back in college I worked at an amusement park that had a show with a live band. One day during a show there was a mild earthquake (in the 4.5 range, barely enough to notice) and the drummer ran off stage, grabbed a hard hat and came back. Which was way funnier than this chick. Also: he went on to be the drummer for Counting Crows when they first got big.

  11. i expected huge boobs to jiggle more in a 5.something earthquake. i bet a 6.something will do it.

    now if you’ll excuse me, i have some youtubing to do.

  12. iReport is supposed to be unedited, unfiltered news, and it’s online. So, who bleeped out the cursing and why? Has the Internet gone PG-13?

  13. mynameistim: The boobs were going up and down but the camera was too. Due to synchronization, movement was not noticeable.

  14. I noticed that one of the comments on Youtube was about her cleavage. The commenter asked her to wear something more “professional”. What is professional for an astrologer? A big sign that says “I’m making this up”? A wizard hat with glittery stars on it? A con artist badge?

    Was the commenter be worried about her ruining the sterling reputation of astrologers everywhere because she was hanging out of her shirt while she fails to predict a significant event?

  15. Before I could really check out the breasts I was mesmerized in a snake-rabbit kinda way by those scary, scary eyes. I just want to get away, fast.

  16. Detroitus:

    I’m not sure I understand. What are these “boobs” of which you speak, and what function do they serve? This is all confusing to me.

  17. Sam:iReport is supposed to be unedited, unfiltered news, and it’s online. So, who bleeped out the cursing and why? Has the Internet gone PG-13?

    Sam, I saw that article initially on CNN.com (front page, no less) so my guess is that they were the ones who did the bleeping.

  18. Cleavage is like the sun: You can glance at it but you’d better not stare or you might get hurt.

    The sun is a star…I know, the link is tenuous but it’s the best I can do. Besides which everybody knows that earthquakes are caused by Loki.

    His wife is Sigyn, who stayed loyal to him, even when the gods punished him for the death of Balder. He was chained to three large boulders; one under his shoulders, one under his loins and one under his knees. A poisonous snake was placed above his head. The dripping venom that lands on him is caught by Sigyn in a bowl. But every now and then, when the bowl is filled to the brim, she has to leave him to empty it. Then the poison that falls on Loki’s face makes him twist in pain, causing earthquakes.

    It’s obvious really.

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