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Research Snapshot Theater: Epidemiology - Outcomes/Research, Adult

Celestial Superstitions: Do Lunar, Solar, and Mercurial Events Impact Hospital Code Calls?

Tuesday, March 24, 2026
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Central Time
Location: Connections Central - RST 01

  • Ryan Garay, BS (he/him/his)

    Virginia

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

  • DY

    David Yamane, MD

    Associate Professor
    George Washington University

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • KM

    Katherine Mann, BS

    Medical Student
    The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • DK

    Daniel King, MD

    George Washington University Hospital

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

  • ES

    Eduard R. Shaykhinurov, N/A

    District of Columbia

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

  • DB

    David Bronstein, n/a

    Resident
    Harbor-UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine

    Disclosure information not submitted.

Introduction: Superstitious beliefs are common in hospital culture, where unexplained surges in patient emergencies are often attributed to non-clinical phenomena. These ideas persist despite little scientific evidence. While isolated reports have explored these associations, no longitudinal study has systematically evaluated their relationship to code call frequency. This study investigated whether lunar phases, Mercury in retrograde, equinoxes, or solstices were associated with variations in hospital code activations.


Methods: Over 17 months (February 11, 2024 – July 20, 2025), daily hospital code activations were collected at George Washington University Hospital. Each study day was categorized by four non-clinical exposures: moon phase (eight phases), Mercury Retrograde, Equinox, and Solstice. Counts of Trauma, difficult airway response team (DART), Cath Attack, Brain Attack, Rapid Response, Code Blue, and Total Codes activations were compared using one-way ANOVA. Two-level factors (Mercury, Equinox, Solstice) were analyzed with post hoc t-tests. Significance was set at α = 0.05.


Results: Across 526 days, no significant associations were observed between moon phases and any hospital code activations (all p > 0.05). Mercury Retrograde days had fewer Rapid Responses than non-retrograde days (2.35 vs. 3.00, p = 0.0022), confirmed by post hoc (t = 3.71, p = 0.00027). Equinox days had more Trauma White activations (6.33 vs. 3.12, p = 0.0035), but lost significance post hoc (p = 0.34). Solstice days showed higher Rapid Response activations (5.33 vs. 2.87, p = 0.027) and Total Codes (15.00 vs. 10.48, p = 0.027); only Total Codes remained significant post hoc (t = 4.47, p = 0.043).


Conclusions: Lunar phases showed no impact on code activations. Isolated associations with Mercury Retrograde, Equinoxes, and Solstices were found, with only Mercury Retrograde (fewer Rapid Responses) and Solstice (higher Total Codes) remaining significant after post-hoc. The decrease in Rapid Responses during Mercury Retrograde contradicts beliefs that this period causes disorder. Equinox and Solstice findings, given their infrequency, warrant further longitudinal study. Celestial phenomena did not meaningfully influence emergent clinical activity in this academic medical center.