There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the stars. In Western astrology, every person has a Zodiac Sign based on the location of the Sun during your birth. And this sign wields tremendous influence over your personality and life.
Here are the 14 most interesting zodiac signs facts:
Interesting facts about the origin of zodiac signs
1. Zodiac signs were first used in farming
The zodiac system began as an agricultural calendar. Ancient farmers used the positions of the constellations in the sky to determine the right time to sow and harvest. Evidence suggests that this practice dates back thousands of years in the civilisations along the Nile and Euphrates Rivers.
For example, farmers checked the moon’s location relative to the constellation. If the moon was in the constellation of any of the Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces), they would plant leafy annuals, shrubs and trees. If the moon was in the Earth Signs (Virgo, Capricorn and Taurus), they would plant underground crops.
2. There were 13 original Signs of the Zodiac
The zodiac system wasn’t always a round number of 12. The fun fact is that the zodiac had 13 signs, including Ophiuchus, the snake charmer. It sits near the constellations of Hercules, Aquila and Serpens.
However, when the Babylonians formally established the zodiac signs 2,500 years ago, Ophiuchius had to be dropped. They followed a 12-month calendar based on the phases of the moon, which meant there was only room for 12 signs. This 12-sign system also helped Babylonian astrologers create more precise predictions for harvests.
Signs of the Zodiac and famous people
3. An astrologer of Princess Margaret made zodiac popular again
Now that we don’t rely on the stars for agricultural timelines, it’s a fascinating fact that the zodiac signs are still popular. This was the legacy of Richard Harold Naylor, a prominent British astrologer in the early 20th century. He had read the palms of Winston Churchill, Grover Cleveland and Mark Twain. But his biggest predictions were those of Princess Margaret.
A few days after the princess was born, Naylor published the world’s first newspaper horoscope. According to the column What the Stars Foretell For the New Princess, Margaret’s life would be eventful. The column gained enormous public interest and triggered many requests for more. Thus, the newspaper horoscope was born.
4. The Roosevelts enjoyed astrology, too
Presidents Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt kept their pulse on astrology and horoscopes. In fact, Teddy Roosevelt surprisingly had his horoscope mounted on a special board in the Oval Office. He said he kept his eye on the “opposition of my seventh house Moon to my first house Mars.”
5. Most American presidents are Scorpio and Aquarius
It’s true that some zodiac signs are more presidential. In fact, five American presidents had been born under the signs of Scorpio (Adams, Polk, Garfield, T. Roosevelt and Harding) and Aquarius (Harrison, Lincoln, McKinley, F. Roosevelt and Reagan). Meanwhile, only two Virgos and two Aries have served as president.
6. An astrologer predicted Hitler’s rise to power
Elsbeth Ebertin was a prominent German astrologer who published a book titled Celestial Change and World Events in 1924. In it, she predicted Hitler’s rise to prominence, and the book was a commercial success. It sold more than 70,000 copies and went into at least a fourth edition.
Zodiac signs and money, law enforcement and hobbies
7. Most billionaires Are Libra
A study has found that, of the moguls in the Forbes’ Billionaire List, most were born under the sign of Libra. Libra is the sign of 27 billionaires, including Ralph Lauren and Liliane Bettencourt.
8. Some zodiac signs earn better than others
People born under the signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Taurus are more likely to earn $100,000 or more per year than other signs. Meanwhile, people born under Capricorn and Aquarius are more likely to earn less than $35,000 annually compared to other signs.
9. Geminis are more likely to quit their jobs
Geminis tend to leave their jobs frequently because of their dual nature. Having the right job is important to them, and they have a quick-moving mind looking for new challenges.
10. Sagittarius kids are more likely to be stars
After analysing the zodiac signs of 100 celebrities, researchers found that most stars are born under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. In fact, some of the world’s biggest celebrities — Christina Aguilera, Scarlett Johansson and Britney Spears — are Sagittarius.
11. Law enforcement arrests more Cancers than other signs
According to stats from the FBI, Cancers are the most arrested criminals, followed by Taurus and Sagittarius. In addition, their crimes are more serious, too.
12. Leos love speed
When we’re talking about driving offences, Leos dominate. According to a study in Australia, Leos are more likely to get caught for speeding compared to other signs. They are also 40% more likely to get a ticket than a Libra.
13. Leos love the gym, too
Leos are twice as likely to hit the gym compared to other signs, according to a survey of 10,000 UK women.
14. Blood types are more popular in Japan
Zodiac signs and horoscopes may be popular across the world, but in Japan, blood types prevail. So don’t be surprised when somebody asks for your blood type in Japan instead of your zodiac sign.
Did we miss any fun fact about zodiac signs? Share them in the comments!
And if you’re still fascinated by the nighttime sky, read these starry facts about stars.
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