Will Recent Studies Renew Efforts to Link Humanity and the Planets?
Human beings have long been fascinated and motivated by the idea of planetary influences on their lives. From the creation of astrological charts to investigations of lunar impacts on female menstrual cycles and tides, when people look skyward today, they are often reminded of an extraordinary force at work in the universe and human affairs.
What does Astrology have to say about these phenomena? And does it deserve a seat at the scientific table as correlations suggest? And what do the latest discoveries of Planetary Science tell us about Earth’s unique role in the cosmos?
Dr. William Keepin, co-founder of the Satyana Institute in Seattle, and Dr. Takahiro Hiroi, planetary scientist at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, addressed these and other questions at the Second International Conference on Science and God (ICSG II) in 2021. They shared intriguing findings from the fields of astrology and planetary science, and called for a new scientific model that can accommodate unexpected (anomalous) phenomena—phenomena that continue to spark debate and inspire new research in each of these fields.
The following are edited excerpts of Dr. Keepin’s presentation, followed by Dr. Hiroi’s commentary, from ICSG II. The ICSG series is sponsored by the Hyo Jeong International Foundation for Environmental Peace, publisher of The Earth & I.
Dr. Keepin: The French statisticians Michel and Francoise Gauquelin set out to disprove astrology once and for all 70 years ago, using rigorous statistical analysis. Yet to their complete shock, they discovered several statistically significant correlations linking the position of specific planets (relative to the Earth) at the birth times of eminent leaders in various fields: Mars for sports champions [the “Mars effect”], Saturn for scientists, Jupiter for actors and politicians, and the Moon for writers. Their data exhibited a relatively weak effect, yet it was highly significant with a probability of occurring by chance of less than 1 in 5 million.
Since then, numerous scientific research studies utilizing greatly improved methods and superior computing power have unearthed many statistically significant correlations between planetary positions and human affairs. Taken together, these studies by mathematician Kyösti Tarvainen and several others provide strong statistical support for nearly all constituents of traditional astrology. Of course, correlation does not imply causation, and these findings remain unexplained theoretically.
A widely publicized study published in Nature by Shawn Carlson in 1985 reported that astrologers “failed to perform at better than chance levels” in matching horoscope charts with the biographies of human subjects (Carlson, 1985). However, this study was later re-analyzed by both Suitbert Ertel (2009) and Robert Currey (2011), both of whom found key errors in Carlson’s data analysis. When corrected, the study’s conclusions were overturned, and actually demonstrate modest statistical support for astrology. Nevertheless, Nature has yet to publish a retraction, and the Carlson study is still often erroneously cited as the “definitive” study that supposedly refutes astrology.
[A]utomated blind-matching studies conducted with 73 celebrities ... successfully matched astrological charts to their owners, using keywords from published biographies, with a probability by chance of 5 in 10,000.
The Carlson study in Nature was recently superceded altogether by an “expert system” [an AI computer program designed to mimic human thought processes], which now simulates a full astrological chart reading, essentially replacing a human astrologer and thereby eliminating bias, intuition, psychic perception, or “cold reading.” This system (called Mastro) was applied in automated blind-matching studies conducted with 73 celebrities, and it successfully matched astrological horoscope charts to their owners, using keywords from published biographies, with a probability by chance of 5 in 10,000. Because “human intervention was eliminated from the match-making and the evidence far exceeds chance, this study suggests that there is an objective basis for astrology” (Godbout 2020, 2021).
Extensive clinical research conducted by psychiatrist Stanislav Grof, Richard Tarnas, and others has shown that certain astrological indicators, known as planetary transits (defined as shifting angular relationships between planets over time), provide an extremely practical tool for accurate prediction of the precise timing and archetypal character of their clients’ psychological experiences in deep experiential psychotherapy sessions. These researchers found that different types of psychological experience are closely correlated with specific positions and movements of the planets Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, in relation to the astrological birth charts of their clients.
Difficult as it may be for some to believe, these astrological transits have proven to be far more accurate and valuable in the clinical practice of experiential psychotherapy than any of the standard psychological and personality profile tests.
Taken together, these research findings could precipitate a new scientific revolution in our understanding of the cosmos and its relation to humanity.
Taken together, these research findings could precipitate a new scientific revolution in our understanding of the cosmos and its relation to humanity (Keepin, 2025).
Bohm’s Holomovement and Indra’s Net
A key question arises here: how could planets or stars possibly have anything to do with human affairs? One plausible explanation of how astrology works begins with quantum theory.
Physicist David Bohm published a radical reformulation of quantum physics in 1952 based on nonlocality and entanglement, which Einstein famously rejected as “spooky action at a distance.” Bohm’s pioneering work led physicist John Bell to develop his famous Bell’s theorem, which in turn led to nearly 50 years of increasingly refined experimental tests that consistently upheld quantum mechanics and nonlocality. Seventy years after Bohm’s seminal paper, the 2022 Nobel prize in physics was awarded to three experimentalists who proved that nonlocal quantum entanglement—Einstein’s dreaded “spooky action at a distance”—is in fact real and forms the basis for today’s pioneering “second quantum revolution.” (As an aside, the term “quantum entanglement” seems a misnomer, because it suggests a disordered jumble or knot. If we may borrow from Thich Nhat Hanh, we might instead characterize this as “quantum interbeing.”)
Bohm subsequently formulated his elegant “holomovement” theory, proposing that the cosmos is “a single undivided wholeness, in flowing movement,” in which “everything is connected to everything else” (Bohm, 1980). The holomovement embraces both known and unknown depths (of dark matter and dark energy), and seamlessly weaves together the physical (matter-energy) domain with the consciousness domain into a single unified holographic cosmos (Bohm and Hiley, 1993).
Bohm’s holomovement was anticipated in an earlier era by Hindu and Buddhist mystics, as expressed in the ancient metaphor known as Indra’s Net: Reality is imaged as an infinite net of magnificent glistening jewels, such that if you look into the facets of any one jewel, you see all the other jewels reflected there. Furthermore, if you look into any of the reflected jewels, you see all the other jewels reflected in that reflection. It’s a vast fractal cosmos of worlds of infinities contained within worlds of infinities, representing a single holographic spiritual-material unity of cosmos and consciousness—at every scale from the infinitesimal to the Infinite.
When first encountering Indra’s Net, people generally visualize the jewels as all the same size, and stationary—as depicted in the representative image of Indra’s Net below.
Let us now add space and time, which means we introduce both spatial and temporal variation into the net. This gets the jewels all swirling around, and they vary in size from tiny atoms to human-sized jewels, to planet- and star-sized jewels. Now if you gaze into the facets of any one jewel as it moves through space, you will see the vast universe of whirling jewels, precisely replicated in dynamic miniature, inside that jewel. Each jewel thus “contains” the entire cosmic dynamism, which unfolds in holographic synchrony on multiple scales of space, time, and consciousness simultaneously. This gives rise to the observed correlations between celestial and terrestrial domains at all scales, right down to the individual human being, who is evidently a walking miniature cosmos.
As Rumi aptly sums it up, “the secret turning in your heart is the entire universe turning.”
In summary: take Indra’s Net, dip it into space-time, and you necessarily get an astrological hermeneutic. In my view, this is a deeper implication and practical application of David Bohm’s holomovement, which combines nonlocal quantum interbeing, known and unknown (dark) matter and energy, and fractal geometry—to holographically interweave all matter, energy, and consciousness into an intricate, undivided, cosmos of fractal interbeing at every level and scale of existence. As Rumi aptly sums it up, “the secret turning in your heart is the entire universe turning.”
Does Planetary Science Suggest Metaphysical Implications?
Dr. Hiroi’s commentary on Dr. Keepin’s address follows below, inspired by Keepin’s evidence from astrology suggesting planetary influences on human affairs.
Dr. Hiroi: Thank you, Dr. Keepin, for your insightful presentation. As an example of the need for a new scientific model, I would like to share a few facts from my specialty, planetary science.
The Significance of Earth’s Large Moon
After Apollo 11 landed on the Moon in 1969 and returned to Earth with a collection of lunar samples, scientists discovered that the average oxygen isotope composition of lunar materials is identical to that of Earth’s materials.
This finding allowed scientists to narrow down the available models for the origin of the Moon to the “giant impact hypothesis” that a Mars-sized body collided with early Earth at a slanted angle, dislodging and dispatching earthly material that would come to form the Moon.
The Apollo 11 team also left a device on the Moon called a laser ranging retroreflector to measure the precise distance between Earth and Moon, which is currently widening by 3.8 cm (nearly 1.5 in) per year. The Moon was once much closer to Earth, but it kept moving away from the Earth by the tidal effect that transferred Earth’s rotational momentum to the Moon while slowing down Earth’s spin.
The existence of one large Moon kept Earth’s spin axis inclination highly stable, at 22–25 degrees, over the entire Earth-Moon history. This fact, along with the existence of ocean and an atmosphere, kept the temperature distribution on Earth more uniform, making its environment ideal for life over billions of years.
Unique Characteristics of Earth
Land and Ocean: Earth has both land and ocean, which is a unique combination of features among known planets. This feature can be indispensable for intelligent (science-capable) life to emerge. Without an ocean, life would not have been born at all, and without land, humankind would not have emerged.
Magnetic Field: Earth’s magnetic field is generated by molten iron spinning in the outer core, which protects life from harmful solar wind (energetic positive ions). To generate this strong magnetic field, the Earth needs a certain amount of iron and radioactive materials as a heat source to melt iron.
Earth is the only planet known to have active plate tectonics.
Plate Tectonics: Earth is the only planet known to have active plate tectonics. This feature allows for the supply and circulation of necessary elements such as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen to develop and sustain the atmosphere, ocean, and life.
Earth-Moon System: Ideal for Scientific Exploration
Solar System in the Milky Way:
Earth’s atmosphere is transparent mostly over the visible and near-infrared wavelength range, allowing humans to observe celestial bodies. The Solar System is currently located between two major arms of a spiral galaxy called the Milky Way, and the Earth revolves around the Sun on a plane that is significantly inclined from the galactic plane. As a result, we are able to direct our telescopes in a dark sky in various orientations to study the galactic structure and farthest stars born in the early universe.
Solar Eclipse: The Moon has been moving away from Earth over the last 4.5 billion years, and its current size, as we perceive it from our perspective on Earth, coincides with that of the Sun. When the Sun is darkened by a solar eclipse (see video), astronomers can observe the light of a star that is on the other side of the Sun. Through this, scientists were able to prove one feature of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, namely, that light can be bent by gravity.
Numerous craters on the Moon record the history of past impact events not only on the Moon but also on Earth where they have largely been lost.
Lunar surface: Numerous craters on the Moon record the history of past impact events not only on the Moon but also on Earth, where they have largely been lost. The lunar surface is an ideal classroom to study space weathering, which chemically or structurally alters materials via solar wind implantation and UV irradiation, and micrometeorite bombardments.
Space Exploration: The Moon is also a promising place for the expansion of human exploration into space, as a source of necessary materials such as water (ice) and oxygen, and nuclear energy through helium-3. In addition, the Earth-Moon orbit can be used by a relay station (such as NASA’s Gateway) for transportation between Earth, Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Antarctica: Time Capsule of Earth and the Solar System
Humanity’s knowledge of the Solar System’s history has been greatly enhanced by studying meteorites, which include fragments of leftover planetesimals, the building blocks of planets. Tens of thousands of meteorites have been found in Antarctica. Those meteorites fell and sank into Antarctic ice, remained frozen, moved with the ice, and accumulated at the feet of mountains, where they were exposed when surface ice was evaporated by the heat and light of the Sun. Antarctica has also retained ancient air and water, allowing scientists to derive the history of past atmospheric temperatures.
However, Antarctica was not always in its current position on the planet. It moved from the north pole to the south pole and formed its icy layer only within the last 50 million years or so, and it may move away from there in the future. With this in mind, it is interesting that humankind emerged and explored Antarctica at just the right time to learn and benefit from its qualities and contributions.
Dr. William Keepin is co-founder of the Satyana Institute, Seattle, USA and Gender Equity and Reconciliation International. He is the author of Belonging to God and Divine Duality, and co-author of Song of the Earth and Gender Equity and Reconciliation. He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics.
Dr. Takahiro Hiroi is Senior Research Scientist at Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He specializes in spectroscopy of meteorites and asteroids and holds a PhD in Mineralogy, The University of Tokyo.
References
Keepin, W. 2025. It’s About Time: Science is Finally Validating Traditional Astrology, in press, 2025.