The Big (Data) Astrology Experiment
For centuries, people have believed that celestial movements shape our fate, influencing our personalities, relationships, and decisions. Astrology remains deeply embedded in culture, offering meaning and connection.But can it be proven?
The Big Astrology Experiment set out to explore: can astrology be proven through social media behavior? This project compared individuals' astrological forecasts with their social media posts, analyzing patterns to uncover potential correlations.
By leveraging big data and user-centered design, the experiment sought to explore whether astrology, once considered a pseudoscience beyond scientific validation, could now be examined and potentially verified through social media activity and big data analysis.
This project reflects a unique blend of curiosity and analytical rigor, transforming a cultural phenomenon into a data-driven investigation.
The Starting Point:
Mercury Retrograde and Social Media
The project started as an exploration into one of astrology’s most infamous phenomena—Mercury retrograde. In astrological belief, Mercury retrograde is a period where the planet Mercury appears to move backward in its orbit, often associated with disruptions in communication, technology, and travel. The question was simple: could this long-standing astrological claim find validation through modern data analysis?
The Approach:
Data-Driven Methodology
The project employed a data-driven methodology to explore the relationship between astrological predictions and social media behavior. By leveraging big data analysis tools, large-scale patterns and trends were identified within social media posts. The process involved collecting data from various platforms, focusing on keywords and themes associated with specific astrological forecasts, and comparing them against corresponding time periods. This approach allowed for a comprehensive examination of whether social media activity aligned with astrological predictions
The Results
The finding were remarkable. During Mercury retrograde, up to 30% more people tweeted about communication breakdowns, frustrations, or failures. This spike in data provided a fascinating lens to examine how astrological phenomena might influence collective discourse—or, at the very least, highlight shared narratives. This discovery became the foundation for exploring the connection between astrological forecasts and online behavior.
Aesthetic Inspiration: Retrofuturism
The designs were drawn from retrofuturism, a visual language that reflects how the future was imagined in the past. Inspired by the 1960s space age—an era of cosmic discovery and optimism—this aesthetic bridges the gap between astrology, big data, and humanity’s ever-evolving relationship with the unknown. Just as the 1960s redefined our relationship with the stars, The Big Astrology Experiment reinterprets astrology in the digital age, offering a unique fusion of past dreams and modern technology.
The interface was crafted to resemble vintage sci-fi control panels, complete with bold geometric compositions, clean typography, and cosmic gradients. These elements evoke the era’s fascination with the possibility of intergalactic travel, reflecting the project’s mission: to explore astrology through data with the same curiosity that once propelled space exploration.
This nostalgic yet forward-thinking design choice serves as more than an aesthetic—it underscores the project’s deeper philosophical question: Can big data turn astrology into something measurable?
Zodiac Iconography
The minimalistic, geometric depictions of the zodiac signs were inspired by the star constellations that they represent, connecting the digital realm with the ancient practice of stargazing.
The use of gradient lines adds depth and motion, giving a sense of energy and evolution—mirroring the dynamic relationship between astrology and the ever-changing world of big data.
Exploring the System in Action
The dashboard is your gateway to uncovering the fascinating connection between astrology and your social media activity. Explore personalized insights with three key options:
Your Zodiac Sign to see how your astrological predictions align with your behavior.
Your Friends' Forecasts to compare and relate to their astrological connections.
Your Location to analyze patterns tied to where you are in the world.
This dashboard provides a real-time analysis of how astrology aligns with digital behavior. By tracking astrological influences on social interactions, posts, and activities, users can see patterns in their engagement. The interface visualizes trends linked to their zodiac sign, offering a unique perspective on how celestial movements might shape their online presence—past, present, and even future.
Discover how astrology influences your social circle in real time. This interactive feature lets you explore their astrological connections, tracking how their social media activity aligns with astrological predictions. View patterns, compare signs, and see who’s most influenced by the stars
Astrology’s Global Influence in Real Time: This dashboard visualizes astrology’s impact on a global scale, mapping digital behaviors, cultural trends, and social interactions through the lens of celestial alignments. By analyzing patterns across locations, it reveals how astrological influences manifest in collective online activity
Endoxa: The Fictional Entity Behind the Experiment
To immerse users in the narrative of the Big Astrology Experiment, I created a fictional organization called Endoxa. Endoxa embodies humanity's quest to decipher astrology through data-driven insights, aiming to bridge ancient wisdom with modern technology.
The name "Endoxa" is derived from the Greek term endoxon, which refers to widely accepted beliefs or opinions that hold collective credibility.
In philosophy, it represents the starting point for inquiry and reasoning, particularly in understanding truths through shared human experience.
The logo, a bold geometric emblem, conveys a sense of structure, reliability, and futuristic innovation. Its interlocking shapes symbolize the interconnectedness of celestial phenomena and human behavior, while the deep gradient hues evoke the vast mystery of the cosmos.
