Earth tide lunar and the solar tidal maxima and minima (bulges and depressions) add together for the greatest tidal range at particular latitudes. At first- and third-quarter phases of the moon, lunar and solar tides are perpendicular, and the tidal range is at a minimum. The semi-diurnal tides go through one full cycle (a high and low tide) about once every 12 hours and one full cycle of maximum height (a spring and neap tide) about once every 14 days. The development of a systematic theory of Earth tides was started by George H. Darwin in 1879, and was then furthered by
Chinese sun and moon mirrors moon-mirrors and beliefs that certain marine animals waxed and waned in correspondence with the moon. For example, the (c. 3rd century BCE) "Guanzi" says, The virtue of a ruler is what all the people obey, just as the moon is the root and fount of all Yin things. So at full moon, shellfish ["bangge" 蚌蛤] are fleshy, and all that is Yin abounds. When the moon has waned, the shellfish are empty and Yin things weak. When the moon appears in the heavens all Yin things are influenced right down to the depths of the sea. So the sage lets