Moonstruck: How moon phases affect life on Earth

If you're curious what part of the lunar cycle you're seeing, when you see a crescent moon, there's a trick French schoolchildren learn -- a moon like the curve of a "p" is in the "première" (first)/growing/waxing phase.

A moon like the curve in a "d" is on the "dernière" (last)/shrinking/waning phase.

Personally, I somehow spent the first few decades of my life assuming that a crescent moon always curved the same way; though if I'd ever paid attention to the actual moon it would have easily shown that was nonsense. :/