(The following article was originally published in Above & Below: Journal of Astrological Studies, Autumn 1988) Is There Really a Mars Effect? by Michel Gauquelin http://www.encosm.net/mars_effect.htm
Astrologs would jump on this for saying that this is THE "proof" that astrology is right but: This particularly study has been conducted rigorously as I said I look more at the preparation of datas than at result of calculation and that's what the article just pinpoint that the first thing scientists did was to check data preparation. As for the result yes it is statistically significant under the scope of 0.01% of Chi Test but chosing 0.01% is arbitrary. In Business this should be enough but for demonstrating a fundamental law repetition of a successful experience under diverse conditions is necessary. So ONE statistical study doesn't make a proof practically in this domain it is nevertheless a clue and an argument for forcing the scientific community to investigate. But scientific community are just men which fear for the huge majority ridicule and who, like in common fields, work more for their career advance than for the love of truth (could cite Einstein here but I have myself witnessed so many cases that I dare say that) so not many will take the risk to do so. Financial credit control their research and not many would spoil their credit chance for astrology. So as usual one must wait the time necessary that some courageous scientist will do the job. There are some in paranormal phenomenas switching to astrology should not be difficult. Nevertheless there is a huge fundamental reason not to do so because this will signify that we have no free will and that is against science paradigm. A paradigm is a very strong assertion that eliminates totally any hypothesis study since it can't be within such framework whereas paranormal phenomena are based on facts that have direct observable manifestation so that they can be more inclined to do so although it is still of course only for some scientists that are on the border of the scientific community. Scientists that study paranormal are often laughed by their pairs. So a scientist who would study astrology will have little chance to get credit. In fact there have been even a huge manifesto of 186 scientits that sign a manifesto in a scientific journal to declare war against astrology. So if one of them want to study astrology sure he will risk to be baned hee hee ! So in every field including science having an idea that deviates from the corpus of the group is very difficult: it is not the fault of science itself here but the fault of the herd mentality like in stock market finally. People want only assertions that suit their belief for their psycho comfort. As for Science I would say it is necessary and it is the role of Science to be conservative. And at least Science has open gates and due to recognise that they were wrong which is not the cases of real sects : sects and sect members never do so.
there is such a thing as free will astrology. basically those practitioners are not blind and see that astrology is far from a perfect science. The discrepancies are due to human free will human error. rest assured, if there is ever a scientific study of astrology, it will be for the sole purpose of destroying it, not to learn.
And why not destroy ideas that are false ? If Science hadn't destroyed some ideas we would still think that the earth is flat ... Galillé died in shame because of mystic people.