Frederic Melton
The Moon being made of cheese is a long-standing myth that has been referenced in popular culture for centuries. The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has been referenced in English literature, films, and children's entertainment. While it is widely known that the Moon does not consist of dairy products, there are some similarities between cheese and the Moon's composition. For example, the speed of sound waves within the shallow lunar subsurface is similar to that of cheese, and the Moon's surface has holes that are reminiscent of those found in certain types of cheese. The myth may have originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a ravenous wolf chasing a fox, or from English Renaissance poet John Heywood's collection of proverbs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin of the notion | A medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox |
| Earliest record | 1546, in The Proverbs of John Heywood |
| References in popular culture | Tom and Jerry, Wallace and Gromit, A Grand Day Out, Little Cheese, NASA's April Fool's Day prank in 2002 |
| Scientific evidence | None; the moon is made of dust and rock |
| Belief in the notion | Not academically; used as an example of extreme credulity |
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What You'll Learn
- The Moon is not made of cheese, it's made of rock and dust
- The myth may have originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox
- The Moon is made of green cheese was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
- The myth is prevalent in popular culture, referenced in Tom and Jerry, Wallace and Gromit, and by NASA
- The Moon's seismic velocity is closer to green cheese than any rock on Earth
The Moon is not made of cheese, it's made of rock and dust
The Moon is not made of cheese. This idea, although a fun notion, is simply a myth. The Moon is actually made of rock and dust.
The Moon being made of cheese is a concept that has been around for a long time, with the earliest record of this idea coming from a medieval Slavic fable. In this story, a fox tricks a wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese floating on the water. The wolf drinks all the water, hoping to reach the cheese, but instead bursts. The idea was later referenced in 1546 in The Proverbs of John Heywood, where he stated, "the moon is made of greene cheese." "Greene" in this context refers to the cheese's age, not its color.
The Moon being made of cheese has become a common motif in folklore and popular culture, often used as a metaphor for credulity or gullibility. Despite its prevalence in stories and jokes, the scientific community has never supported the claim that the Moon is made of cheese. In fact, theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll has stated that the hypothesis is "absurd" and contradicts our knowledge of the universe.
The Moon is composed of rock and dust, as evidenced by the Apollo missions and other lunar explorations. While it may be fun to imagine the Moon as a giant wheel of cheese, it is important to distinguish between fantasy and reality. The Moon's rocky and dusty composition provides valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.
So, while the idea of a Moon made of cheese may spark creativity and humor, it is essential to recognize that the Moon is a celestial body composed of rock and dust, offering us a fascinating glimpse into the cosmos.
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The myth may have originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a part of popular culture for a long time. While it is widely acknowledged that the moon does not consist of dairy products, the myth has persisted and evolved over the years.
The myth may have originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a ravenous wolf and a seemingly hapless fox. In the fable, the wolf chases the fox, hoping to make a meal out of him. However, the fox is clever and tricks the wolf. He points to the moon's reflection on a pond, convincing the wolf that it is a block of cheese floating on the water. The fox tells the wolf that if he drinks all the water, he can get to the cheese. The wolf, in his greed, drinks too much water and bursts, leaving the fox to escape. This fable, with its clever use of the moon's reflection, showcases the fox's cunning and reinforces the idea of the moon being associated with cheese.
This fable, dating back to medieval times, is the earliest known record of the moon-cheese connection. The notion then appeared in English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in the form of a proverb. In 1546, John Heywood, an English writer known for his sayings and poems, wrote, "the moon is made of greene cheese" in his book of proverbs. "Greene" in this context referred to the cheese's freshness rather than its colour. Heywood's saying gained popularity, and over time, it became a common expression.
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been perpetuated in various forms of media, including children's folklore, films, and modern popular culture. The phrase "green cheese" may have persisted due to its association with gullibility and extreme credulity. It is important to note that the scientific community has never supported the claim that the moon is made of cheese. However, the myth has been so influential that even NASA played a prank on April Fool's Day in 2002, claiming to have proven that the moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date on one of the moon's craters.
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The Moon is made of green cheese was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
The Moon, composed of dairy products, is a notion that has been around for a long time. While it is unlikely that anyone truly believed the Moon was made of cheese, the idea has persisted for centuries and has become a well-known proverb and metaphor for credulity. The Moon being made of green cheese was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, often used to refer to the gullibility of "country peasants". The phrase green cheese may refer to young, unripe cheese or cheese with a greenish tint.
The earliest known record of this idea comes from a medieval Slavic fable, in which a hungry wolf chases a fox. The fox tricks the wolf by convincing him that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, and if the wolf drinks all the water, he can reach the cheese. The wolf drinks too much and bursts, while the fox escapes. This tale is also classified as "The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese" in the Aarne–Thompson classification of folktales.
The popularisation of the proverb is often attributed to John Heywood's book of proverbs published in 1546, which included the saying, "the moon is made of greene cheese." Here, "greene" refers to the cheese's age rather than its colour. Over the following century, the phrase came into common use, and in 1638, English natural philosopher John Wilkins wrote, "you may … soon persuade some country peasants that the moon is made of greene cheese, (as we say)," referring to the belief as an example of human gullibility.
The Moon being made of cheese has since become a common trope in modern popular culture, with references in children's shows like Tom and Jerry and Wallace and Gromit, as well as in films like A Grand Day Out. Even NASA has joined in on the joke, claiming on April Fool's Day in 2002 that they had "proven" the Moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date on one of the craters.
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The myth is prevalent in popular culture, referenced in Tom and Jerry, Wallace and Gromit, and by NASA
The myth that the moon is made of cheese has been referenced in popular culture for centuries. The earliest record of this notion comes from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf, which was later referenced in the 1546 book, 'The Proverbs of John Heywood'. In the fable, the fox convinces the wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, and that if the wolf drinks the water, he can reach the cheese.
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has since been referenced in various forms of popular culture, including children's programmes such as Tom and Jerry, and the adventures of Wallace and Gromit in 'A Grand Day Out', where the pair travel to the moon to gather cheese.
The myth has also been referenced by NASA, who, on April Fool's Day 2002, claimed to have "proven" that the moon was made of cheese, releasing a Photoshopped image of the moon with an expiration date printed on one of its craters.
The prevalence of this myth in popular culture demonstrates its enduring appeal and ability to capture the imagination, despite the scientific community never supporting the claim.
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The Moon's seismic velocity is closer to green cheese than any rock on Earth
The Moon has long been a source of fascination for humans, and its mysterious nature has sparked many legends and myths. One of the most enduring and whimsical beliefs is that the Moon is made of cheese. This notion, often referred to as a fable or a proverb, has been around for centuries and is deeply rooted in folklore and popular culture. Despite the absurdity of the claim, the idea has captured the imagination of people of all ages, from children's stories to adult humour.
The origin of this myth can be traced back to medieval times, with the earliest record found in a Slavic fable. In this tale, a fox tricks a hungry wolf into believing that the Moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, leading the wolf to drink all the water and burst in his pursuit of the illusory treat. The proverb "the moon is made of green cheese" was popularised in 1546 by John Heywood, an English writer known for his sayings and poems. The phrase "green cheese" refers to the cheese's youth or freshness, rather than its colour.
While the Moon-cheese myth has been perpetuated in stories and jokes, it has also sparked scientific discussions and investigations. The idea that the Moon might be made of cheese is not supported by scientific evidence, and it contradicts our understanding of the universe. However, the Moon's seismic velocity, or the speed at which shockwaves travel through it, is said to be closer to green cheese than to any rock found on Earth. This intriguing fact adds a layer of complexity to the myth and has even been used to illustrate concepts in Bayesian probability.
The Moon-cheese myth has been referenced in modern popular culture, including children's programmes like "Tom and Jerry" and "Wallace and Gromit," who famously went to the Moon in search of cheese. Even NASA played along with the joke, releasing a photoshopped image of the Moon with an expiration date on April Fool's Day in 2002. The myth continues to capture the public's imagination, as seen with the ESA's "Shaun's Moon Cheese Challenge," inviting people to speculate about the Moon's composition.
While it is clear that the Moon is not made of cheese, the persistence of this myth showcases the interplay between folklore, humour, and scientific curiosity in our understanding of the world around us. The Moon's seismic velocity may be similar to that of green cheese, but it is safe to say that the Moon remains a celestial body composed of rock and dust, rather than a giant wheel of cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but the idea that it is has been a fixture in children's entertainment and popular culture for millennia.
The earliest record of this notion comes from a medieval Slavic fable in which a fox convinces a wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese floating on the water. The best-known early citation dates to 1546 and can be found in The Proverbs of John Heywood.
As far as we know, no Apollo astronaut or scientist on Earth has deliberately tasted moon dust. However, in the Oscar-nominated short film A Grand Day Out, the protagonist tastes a slice of the lunar ground and guesses that it might be Wensleydale or Stilton.
Yes, the speed of sound waves within the shallow lunar subsurface is much slower than that in solid rock and is close to the speed of sound in cheese. The moon is also covered in bowl- or saucer-shaped impact craters that resemble the holes in certain types of cheese, like Emmental.
Reblochon, a cheese from the Haute-Savoie region in France, is shaped like a full moon and has marks that look like impact craters on the moon.
