Bushra Griffith
The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has been a humorous concept in children's popular culture and has also been referenced in adult media. In the past, it was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, and a 1902 survey of childlore by psychologist G. Stanley Hall found that the most common explanation for the composition of the Moon among children was that it was made of cheese. The Moon being made of blue cheese is the premise of a children's book by Derek Hocking. While the idea of the Moon being made of cheese is absurd, the seismic velocity of Moon rock is said to be closer to green cheese than to any rock on Earth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is the Moon made of blue cheese? | No |
| Origin of the myth | A medieval Slavic fable about a hungry wolf chasing a fox, who convinces the wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese |
| Earliest record | 1546, in The Proverbs of John Heywood |
| Scientific evidence | Moon rocks' seismic velocities are similar to those of popular cheeses like muenster, cheddar, and provolone |
| Impact of being made of cheese | The Moon's mass would be significantly less, and it would be pulled into a lower orbit by the Earth's gravity |
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What You'll Learn
- The Moon is made of green cheese: a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
- The Moon's surface is probably closer to green cheese than solid rock
- The Moon is not made of blue cheese
- The idea of the Moon being made of cheese has appeared in children's popular culture
- In a 1902 survey, most young children were unsure of the Moon's composition, but some thought it was made of cheese
The Moon is made of green cheese: a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
The Moon being made of green cheese is a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature. The earliest record of the notion that the Moon is made of cheese comes from a medieval Slavic fable, which features a ravenous wolf chasing a fox. The fox convinces the wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, and the wolf ends up drinking too much water and bursting. This motif of a fox and a wolf is also seen in other tales, such as a Servian tale, a Scottish tale, and a French classic, "Le Roman de Renart".
The proverb likely originated in 1546, when "The Proverbs of John Heywood" claimed, "the moon is made of a greene cheese." The word "greene" here refers to the food's age or newness rather than its color. A common variation of the proverb is, "to make one believe the Moon is made of green cheese," which means to hoax someone. This variation was used by John Wilkins in his 1638 book, "The Discovery of a World in the Moone."
The phrase "green cheese" may refer to a young, unripe cheese or to cheese with a greenish tint. The proverb was used as a metaphor for credulity, referring to the perception of a simpleton who sees a reflection of the Moon in the water and mistakes it for a round cheese wheel. It was not a widespread popular belief that the Moon was made of green cheese, but rather an example of extreme credulity.
The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has persisted into modern popular culture, with references in children's shows like "Tom and Jerry" and "Wallace and Gromit." Even NASA 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 Moon's craters. A 1902 survey of childlore by psychologist G. Stanley Hall found that while most young children were unsure of the Moon's composition, the idea that it was made of cheese was the single most common explanation.
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The Moon's surface is probably closer to green cheese than solid rock
The notion that the Moon is made of cheese is a long-standing one, dating back to medieval times. The idea has persisted for so long that it has become a well-known proverb, with references in literature and popular culture, including children's programmes. While it is clear that the Moon is not made of blue cheese, the persistence of this idea over the centuries may be due to the fact that the Moon's surface does share some similarities with cheese.
The Moon's composition has puzzled scientists for centuries, and various theories have been proposed to explain its origin. One theory suggests that the Moon was formed from the debris of a giant impact event, while another proposes that the Earth was spinning rapidly, causing a part of the crust to break off and form the Moon. However, analysis of Moon rocks brought back by astronauts has cast doubt on these theories. Moon rocks exhibit seismic velocities that are significantly different from those of terrestrial rocks and minerals, and are more in line with the velocities found in popular cheeses.
While it is unlikely that the Moon is made of cheese, the Moon's seismic velocities and its impact history could be responsible for creating a cheese-like texture on the lunar surface. This could explain why the Moon has long been associated with cheese in folklore and popular culture.
Furthermore, the Moon's lower mass compared to Earth could be indicative of a lower-density composition, similar to cheese. This suggests that the Moon's surface may have a softer, more malleable texture than solid rock. While it is not blue cheese, the Moon's surface may indeed be more akin to green cheese, or other types of cheese with similar seismic properties, in terms of its texture and impact history.
In conclusion, while it is clear that the Moon is not made of blue cheese, the persistence of this idea and the Moon's unique characteristics suggest that its surface may be closer to green cheese or other types of cheese in texture and composition than solid rock.
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The Moon is not made of blue cheese
The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has been around for millennia, but it is doubtful that anyone ever truly believed it. In 1638, the English natural philosopher John Wilkins wrote, "you may … soon persuade some country peasants that the moon is made of greene cheese, (as we say)". Indeed, a 1902 survey of childlore by psychologist G. Stanley Hall found that the most common explanation for the Moon's composition among young children was that it was made of cheese.
Furthermore, the density of the Moon is far greater than that of cheese. The Moon has a mass of 7.342 × 10^22 kg and a radius of 1,737.1 km, giving it an average density of 3.34 g/cm^3. In contrast, the density of cheese is typically around 0.95 g/cm^3. If the Moon were made of cheese, its mass would be significantly less, and the Earth's gravity would pull it into a lower orbit. On April Fool's Day 2002, NASA even got in on the joke, claiming to have “proven” that the moon was made of cheese.
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The idea of the Moon being made of cheese has appeared in children's popular culture
The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has been a part of popular culture for a long time, and it has certainly made its way into children's media and folklore. The notion is thought to have originated from a medieval Slavic fable, featuring a hungry wolf and a crafty fox. In the story, the fox leads the wolf to believe that the moon's reflection on the water is a wheel of cheese, and the wolf ends up drinking too much water and bursting. This tale has appeared in various forms across different cultures, including Servian, Zulu, Gascon, Turkish, and Scottish folklore.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became popular in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, often used as a metaphor for gullibility or extreme credulity. It was first recorded in 1546 in The Proverbs of John Heywood and was later referenced by English natural philosopher John Wilkins in 1638. Despite the scientific community never supporting the claim, the idea has persisted in children's popular culture.
A 1902 survey by psychologist G. Stanley Hall found that out of 423 children, 18 five-year-olds thought the Moon was made of cheese, making it the single most common explanation among young children who were unsure of the Moon's composition. This idea has also been perpetuated by children's media, with references appearing in shows like Tom and Jerry and Wallace and Gromit.
Even NASA played along with 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 of the Moon with an expiration date on one of its craters. The Moon being made of cheese has become a humorous conceit in children's popular culture, often used in stories or media with astronomical themes, such as the Man in the Moon.
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In a 1902 survey, most young children were unsure of the Moon's composition, but some thought it was made of cheese
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a popular notion for centuries, with references to it in literature and folklore. The earliest record of this idea comes from a medieval Slavic fable featuring a ravenous wolf and a crafty fox. In the story, the fox tricks the wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on the water is a block of cheese, leading to the wolf's demise as he tries to consume it. This tale has variations in different cultures, including Serbia, Scotland, and Turkey.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became popular in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, originating in John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood" in 1546. The phrase was often used to refer to someone who was gullible or easily fooled. Despite its popularity in literature and folklore, it is unlikely that anyone academically believed the moon was made of cheese.
In a 1902 survey of childlore by psychologist G. Stanley Hall, it was found that most young children were unsure of the Moon's composition. However, out of 423 children, averaging five years of age, eighteen of them thought it was made of cheese. This was the single most common explanation given by the children, indicating that the idea of the moon being made of cheese has persisted in popular culture.
While the notion of the moon being made of cheese is entertaining, it is important to note that scientific analysis of moon rocks has provided evidence that contradicts this idea. Moon rocks exhibit seismic velocities that are significantly different from those of terrestrial rocks and minerals, falling within the range of popular cheeses. However, this data can be adequately explained by the extensive history of impacts on the lunar surface, which affects the density, composition, and history of moon rocks.
The moon-cheese theory has been a source of humour and curiosity for centuries, even inspiring an April Fool's Day joke by NASA in 2002, where they claimed to have "proven" the moon was made of cheese. While it is clear that the moon is not made of cheese, its composition and origin continue to be a subject of scientific exploration and debate.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the moon is not made of blue cheese. This is a common misconception among children, likely stemming from the proverb "the moon is made of green cheese" popularised in 16th- and 17th-century English literature.
The idea of the moon being made of cheese has appeared as a humorous conceit in much of children's popular culture with astronomical themes. The moon's surface has been described as having more grit than scientists initially thought, which may have contributed to this idea.
While the moon is not made of cheese, theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll has pointed out that the harmonic signature of moon rock is closer to green cheese than to any rock on Earth.
No, but a children's book called "The Moon is Made of Blue Cheese" by Derek Hocking follows three mice who embark on a journey to the moon in search of cheese.
