This article will discuss what astrology is, why its gaining traction with people inclined to believe in it. The effect within pop culture, and its historical roots.

Astrology, often confused with astronomy, has been regarded as a pseudoscience since the 18th century. Despite its claims of being scientific, it is incompatible with science and doesn’t have enough scientific evidence. Astrology is the belief that the way planets and stars are aligned influence people's personalities and events within their lives. For example, the idea that a person's zodiac sign can reveal aspects of their character. If you ask google about your zodiac signs personality, it will come up with an answer. If you google "Pisces personality”, it will tell you that they're compassionate and imaginative. Often when speaking about astrology, they are referring to horoscopes based on the position of the planets at a person's birth. Astrology faces widespread skepticism, described as magical, delusional or highly unreliable. However, some people see astrology as symbolic, with many different cultural systems, like Hindu and Chinese astrology, sharing roots in ancient ideas. It can be seen as a way to understand life's complicated nature.

The idea of astrology has been around since early civilization. Throughout history, humans have looked to find guidance, which can be seen in religion and culture, in which humans look up to a greater power. Astrology grew from this fascination with celestial forces and belief that heavenly bodies influence life on Earth. There was a conscious effort made to track seasonal changes based on astronomical cycles. Evidence of this goes back at least 25,000 years ago, through markings on bones and cave walls noting the lunar cycle. The earliest organised system of astrology recorded is Babylonian astrology. The ancient Babylonians were a civilisation in the Middle East. They created the first zodiac wheel, which divided the sky into 12 equal segments, each segment representing a month of the year, and named after a constellation. The zodiac wheel also has significant roots in previous cultures such as the Sumerians and Mesoamerican cultures. The wheel was developed around the 5th century BCE, and is still the basis of zodiac signs used today. Astrology can be seen in many other great civilizations, such as Babylon, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, and India. Up until the 17th century, astrology was seen as academic practice and even helped the development of astronomy. It was highly accepted, in comparison to modern society, it was used within cultural and political groups, and within other studies. Scientific findings within astronomy challenged the underlying concepts of astrology, therefore astrology was deemed a pseudoscience.  

Why are some people inclined to believe in astrology? It has a large appeal, specifically as it can provide comfort and meaning to certain people. It offers a way to understand life's complexities and can provide guidance. As humans we seek ways to explain our past, present and future. People have turned to astrology in times of stress and discomfort. The first astrology commissioned column in a newspaper was during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. Engaging with the world of astrology can create a sense of community, for example having conversations with other like-minded individuals can create a connection. People also use zodiac signs as a way to test compatibility. Humans enjoy making sense of things, therefore it's possible that astrology is just another way to do that. Some might see it as an explanation, for instance thinking that a relationship didn’t work out as their zodiac signs just weren’t compatible. With over 8 billion people in the world, it’s likely that there are Pisces who are compassionate, and Scorpios who are intense, thus zodiac signs will always resonate with someone. This mirrors the Barum effect, which is a physiological phenomenon in which vague and general descriptions are accepted as specifically accurate for themselves, despite the fact that they could be applied to anyone. This allows astrology to resonate with a wide audience, especially in modern times where we see a rise in popularity due to the media.

Sun sign horoscopes have been popularised through newspapers, magazines and online platforms. There are TikTok pages dedicated to astrology and the question “What is your sign?” is not uncommon to ask. Astrology influences music, fashion and social media. In films and shows, astrology themes are interlinked within the narrative or characters roles. Some celebrities even incorporate zodiac themes into their branding. Astrology can be a framework of guidance for some, or a source of entertainment for others. 

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