Big earthquakes shown to happen more during full moons

Large earthquakes have a higher chance of happening during full and new moons, finds a new study out of Japan.

The reason for the increased risk, the researchers have found, is because fault lines tend to become more strained as the tides get higher and heavier than normal when the earth, moon, and sun are aligned.

Active fault lines/zones in the United States:

High tides, which happen twice a day, have been linked with tremors in certain places, but this study takes a broader look by examining events of at least 5.5 in magnitude.

These include a 9.3-magnitude Sumatra quake in 2004 and a 8.8-magnitude Chilean quake from 2010.

After recording the severity of tidal stresses in the 15 days leading up to each event, the team found that the vast majority struck around the time of a full or new moon.

Photos of earthquake-devastated towns in central Italy:

Researchers also determined that earthquakes around 5.5 in magnitude are likely to become more severe, reaching 8 or more in scale, during these peak-intensity periods.

Nevertheless, scientists say that smaller seismic activities do not appear to be affected, and the likelihood of a catastrophic event is still relatively low.