__
__
Subject: Crop Circles
Location: Worldwide
Type: Unexplained Phenomena
Crop circles was the name given to irregular circles that have appeared swirled in farmers fields across the world, especially in England. They first gained major publicity in the early 1980s, but the first modern reported crop circle appeared in Tully, England during 1966.
During the summer of 1980, many circles appeared in the English countryside. The phenomena was centred in the land around the town of Warminster. Crop Circles spread beyond the Wessex counties of Wiltshire and Hampshire to other parts of England, and then, worldwide.
Crop Circles are now reported in over 30 countries, including Canada, Hungary, the United States, Japan, and the former Soviet Union. The circles have grown more and more intricate over the years, and now include rings, lines, squares, triangles, as well as circles.
Various theories circulated as to the origin of this strange phenomena. Dr. Terence Meaden hypothesized that the circles were formed by electrified wind, thus the "Plasma Vortex Theory". He theorized that electrified air (plasma) forms mini-tornadoes and screws down on the fields causing the circles. However, this theory does not account for the highly complex recent circles that have appeared.
Hoaxers are often blamed for many of the circles, especially the more complex ones. On September 9, 1991, Doug Bower and David Chorley admitted to hoaxing approximately 250 circles. However, many of the circles they created were already under suspicion of hoaxing. The sheer number of circles, their peculiarity, and their worldwide location discounts complete hoaxing of all of them.
Extraterrestrials are often blamed for the circles. UFOs are reportedly seen in the presence of circles, and some people report actually seeing crafts creating the circles. Whatever, the cause, crop circles will continue to inspire awe and wonder until the mystery is revealed.
I would like to thank AUFORA for providing some of this information.
Related Sites:
·AUFORA
Crop Circle Guide (A great overall site for UFO related information).
·The
Crop Circle Connector (Megs of pics. What more could you ask for?)
·Dreamland
Interactive (Good general UFO information, plus cattle mutilations
and crop circles! Great site!)
·Art
Bell's Crop Circle Page (A few more pics.)