Because Why?! The Science and Society Pod.

It's not me, it's my star sign


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Why do people still believe in horoscopes, even when we know they’re not true? (If this is you, I'm curious, not judging.)

For nearly a century, people have turned to horoscopes for all sorts of advice, and they’re actually more popular now than ever. But how is this still so widespread when it’s been clearly debunked time and again?

Turns out, there are a lot of reasons - and the story is more complicated (and fascinating) than you might think.

In this episode let's get into:

  • The ancient history of the zodiac signs
  • How astrology and zodiac systems differ across countries
  • How science eventually outpaced astrology
  • Why zodiac signs got out of alignment - and why no one seemed to care
  • How astrology reinvented itself to stay relevant and believable
  • The ways astrology sneaks into modern life that you might not even notice
  • Why astrology is booming right now
  • The psychology behind why we want astrology to work
  • How the wording of horoscopes subtly manipulates us
  • How horoscope writing has been tailored to target women
  • Why you can’t convince astrology fans they’re wrong
  • How celestial bodies really do affect us (just not in the way horoscopes claim)


Thanks for joining me on this episode of Because Why?!

Mā te wā - see you next week.

You can get involved with the podcast online in the meantime, of course.

Find our full podcast via the website here: ⁠⁠https://www.nowthatwhatsicall.com⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausewhypod/

You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/⁠⁠

Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwest⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/⁠⁠

For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: ⁠⁠https://incrediballs.com/⁠

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Because Why?! The Science and Society Pod.By Brianne West