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PlainTeks1.txt
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PlainTeks1.txt
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CROPCIRCLETHEORIESCROPCIRCLESAREAREASOFCEREALORSIMILARCROPSTHATHAVEBEENSYSTEMATICALLYFLATTENEDTOFORMVARIOUSGEOMETRICPATTERNS.THEPHENOMENONITSELFONLYENTEREDTHEPUBLICIMAGINATIONINITSCURRENTFORMAFTERTHENOTABLEAPPEARANCESINENGLANDINTHELATE1970S.VARIOUSSCIENTIFICANDPSEUDO-SCIENTIFICEXPLANATIONSWEREPUTFORWARDTOEXPLAINTHEPHENOMENON,WHICHSOONSPREADAROUNDTHEWORLD.IN1991,MORETHANADECADEAFTERTHEPHENOMENABEGAN,TWOMEN,DOUGBOWERANDDAVECHORLEY,REVEALEDTHATTHEYHADBEENMAKINGCROPCIRCLESINENGLANDSINCE1978USINGPLANKS,ROPE,HATSANDWIREASTHEIRONLYTOOLS.MANYOTHERPEOPLEAROUNDTHEWORLDAREALSOOPENLYMAKINGCROPCIRCLES.ALTHOUGHTHECOMMONLYACCEPTEDVIEWTODAYISTHATCROPCIRCLESAREAMAN-MADEPHENOMENON,PARANORMALEXPLANATIONS,OFTENINCLUDINGUFOS,ARESTILLPOPULAR.INPARANORMALCIRCLESTHESTUDYOFTHECROPCIRCLEPHENOMENAISCALLEDCEREALOGY.CEREALOGISTSCOMMONLYREFERTOTHESEDESIGNSASAGRIGLYPHSORLANDSCAPEART.CROPCIRCLESAREFOUNDINFIELDS,OVERTREE-TOPS,ANDINICEANDSNOW.THEYAREMOSTLYOFTENFOUNDINWHEATORCORNFIELDS,BUTHAVEALSOBEENFOUNDINOAT,RAPE(CANOLA),ANDBARLEY.THEYAREAWORLDWIDEPHENOMENA,HIGHLIGHTEDINENGLAND.HISTORYOFCROPCIRCLES
NOONEKNOWSHOWFARBACKINHISTORYTHEYGO.ALLEGEDLY,THEEARLIESTRECORDEDCROPCIRCLEISDEPICTEDINTHIS1647WOODCUTCALLEDTHEMOWING-DEVIL.THISIMAGEDEPICTSASTRANGECREATURECREATINGACIRCULARDESIGNINAFIELDOFCORN.THELEGENDSUGGESTSTHATTHEFARMER,DISGUSTEDATTHEWAGEHISMOWERWASDEMANDINGFORHISWORK,INSISTEDTHATHEWOULDRATHERHAVETHEDEVILHIMSELFPERFORMTHETASK.PROPONENTSOFTHEBELIEFTHATCROPCIRCLESAREEITHERNATURALLYCAUSED,ORAREFORMEDBYASYETUNKNOWNENTITIES,OFTENSUPPORTTHEIRVIEWPOINTWITHTHISOLDTALE.ITISWORTHNOTING,HOWEVER,THATTHISISLITTLEMORETHANATALE-THECIRCULARFORMATIONSUPPOSEDLYCAUSEDBYTHECREATUREMAYBECOINCIDENTAL,ORMAYHAVEBEENCAUSEDBYANYNUMBEROFNATURALORHUMANPROCESSES.ANAPPARENTLYMORECONVINCINGHISTORICALREPORTOFCROPCIRCLESWASPUBLISHEDINTHEJOURNALNATUREIN1880(REPRODUCEDIN2000).ANAMATEURSCIENTISTNAMEDBRANDONMELANDAPPEARSTODESCRIBEAFIELDCONTAININGANUMBEROFCROPCIRCLES,ALONGWITHHISSUGGESTIONTHATTHEYMIGHTHAVEBEENCAUSEDBY"SOMECYCLONICWINDACTION". NOTLONGAFTERWWII,THEAERIALSURVEYSTHATWEREBEINGMADEOVERLARGEAREASOFBRITAINREVEALEDSOMEUNEXPECTEDPHENOMENA,UNDETECTABLEFROMTHEGROUND.WHENTHESURVEYSPHOTOGRAPHEDRIPENINGCROPSORDROUGHT-STRESSEDTERRAINTHEYREVEALEDWHATWERESOONTERMED"CROPMARKS",THEDIFFERENTIALRIPENINGOFTHECROPTHATREVEALEDDIFFERENCESINTHESUBSOIL.THESEPATTERNSWEREFOUNDTOBECAUSEDBYTHEBURIEDREMNANTSOFANCIENTBUILDINGS.ARCHAEOLOGICALINVESTIGATIONSWERESOONINSTIGATED,BUT, THOUGHMANYPREVIOUSLYUNSUSPECTEDARCHAEOLOGICALSITESWEREFOUND,NOCROPCIRCLESWEREEVERRECORDED.SKEPTICSARGUETHATTHISWOULDHAVEPOINTEDTOCIRCLESASAMODERNPHENOMENON,EVENIFTHEINITIALPRANKSTERSHADNOTREVEALEDTHEMSELVES;BELIEVERSREPLYDIFFERENTAGENDASMAYSIMPLYBEATWORKINTHEMODERNDAY.CROPCIRCLESSHOTINTOPROMINENCEINTHELATE1970SASMANYCIRCLESBEGANAPPEARINGTHROUGHOUTTHEENGLISHCOUNTRYSIDE.TODATE,THOUSANDSOFCIRCLESHAVEAPPEAREDATSITESACROSSTHEWORLD,FROMDISPARATELOCATIONSSUCHASTHEFORMERSOVIETUNION,THEUKANDJAPAN,ASWELLASTHEU.S.ANDCANADA.1991-BARBURYCASTLECROPCIRCLE
THEFIRSTMAJOR"BREAKTHROUGH"FORMATIONTHATDEPARTEDFROMTHEORIGINALPATTERNSWASBARBURYCASTLE1991.SOMERESEARCHERSBELIEVETHATTHEBARBURYFORMATIONWASTHE"ROSETTASTONE"TOTHEUNDERSTANDINGOFTHEGEOMETRICNATUREOFTHEDIMENSIONSINTHEUNIVERSE.CREATORSOFCROPCIRCLESIN1991,MORETHANADECADEAFTERTHEPHENOMENABEGAN,TWOMENANNOUNCEDTHATTHEPHENOMENONOFCROPCIRCLESWASANIDEATHOUGHTUPONEEVENINGINAPUBINSOUTHAMPTON,ENGLANDIN1978.WORLDWARIIVETERANDOUGBOWERANDHISFRIENDDAVECHORLEYREVEALEDTHATTHEYMADETHEIRCROPCIRCLESUSINGPLANKS,ROPE,HATSANDWIREASTHEIRONLYTOOLS.BOWERANDCHORLEYSTATEDTOREPORTERSTHATASMALLGROUPOFPEOPLECANSTOMPDOWNASIZEABLEAREAOFCROPINASINGLENIGHT."STOMP"DOESNOTMEANUSINGTHEFEET:SIMPLETOOLSTOMAKECROPCIRCLESHAVEBEENDEMONSTRATED.THEPAIRBECAMESLIGHTLYFRUSTRATEDTHATTHEIRWORKHADNOTRECEIVEDASMUCHPUBLICITYASTHEYHADHOPED.IN1981THEYCREATEDACROPCIRCLEINAHIGHLYVISIBLEAREACALLEDTHEWINCHESTERPUNCHBOWL-ANAREASURROUNDEDBYROADSFROMWHICHACLEARVIEWOFTHEFIELDISAVAILABLETODRIVERSPASSINGBY.BOWER'SWIFEHADBECOMEINCREASINGLYSUSPICIOUSOFHIMDUETONOTICINGPARTICULARLYHIGHLEVELSOFROADMILEAGEINTHEIRCAR.EVENTUALLY,FEARINGTHATHISWIFESUSPECTEDHIMOFSOMETHINGELSE,BOWERCONFESSEDTOHERWHATHEHADBEENDOINGANDSUBSEQUENTLYINFORMEDABRITISHNATIONALNEWSPAPER.BOWERREVEALEDONTVTHEMETHODUSED,WHICHWASTHATOFAFOUR-FOOT-LONGPLANKWITHROPEATTACHEDANDCIRCLESOFEIGHTFEETINDIAMETERCOULDBEEASILYCREATED.HESTATEDTHATA40-FOOTCIRCLECOULDBECREATEDBYTWOMENINAQUARTEROFANHOUR.THEDESIGNSWEREATFIRSTSIMPLECIRCLES.WHENNEWSPAPERSCLAIMEDTHATTHECIRCLESCOULDEASILYBEEXPLAINEDBYNATURALPHENOMENA,BOWERANDCHORLEYCHOSEMORECOMPLEXPATTERNS.ASIMPLEWIREWITHALOOP,HANGINGDOWNFROMACAP-THELOOPPOSITIONEDOVERONEEYE-COULDBEUSEDTOFOCUSONALANDMARKTOAIDINTHECREATIONOFSTRAIGHTLINES.LATERDESIGNSOFCROPCIRCLESWERETOBECOMEINCREASINGLYCOMPLEX.DAVECHORLEYDIEDIN1996THOUGHDOUGBOWERHASMADETHEOCCASIONALCROPCIRCLEASRECENTLYAS2004-OVERTENYEARSAFTERHEREVEALEDITTOBEAHOAX.BOWERHASSAIDTHAT,HADITNOTBEENFORHISWIFE'SSUSPICIONS,HEWOULDHAVETAKENTHESECRETTOHISDEATHBED,NEVERREVEALINGTHATITWASAHOAX.CIRCLEMAKERSHAVEDEMONSTRATEDTHATMAKINGWHATSELF-APPOINTEDCEREALOGISTEXPERTSSTATEARE"UNFAKEABLE"CROPCIRCLESISPOSSIBLE.ONESUCHCEREALOGIST,G.TERENCEMEADEN,WASFILMEDCLAIMINGTHATACROPCIRCLEWASGENUINEWHENTHENIGHTBEFORETHEMAKINGOFTHATCROPCIRCLEBYHUMANSWASFILMED.ONTHENIGHTOFJULY11-12,1992,ACROP-CIRCLEMAKINGCOMPETITION,FORAPRIZEOFSEVERALTHOUSANDPOUNDS(PARTLYFUNDEDBYTHEARTHURKOESTLERFOUNDATION),WASHELDINBERKSHIRE.THEWINNINGENTRYWASPRODUCEDBYTHREEHELICOPTERENGINEERS,USINGROPE,PVCPIPE,ATRESTLEANDALADDER.ANOTHERCOMPETITORUSEDASMALLGARDENROLLER,APLANKANDSOMEROPE.THESIZEANDCOMPLEXITYOFTHEDESIGNSDEMONSTRATEDTHATMINIMALEQUIPMENTANDPREPARATIONSUFFICEDTOPRODUCEEVENTHEMOSTCOMPLEXCROPCIRCLEDESIGNS.SCIENTIFICAMERICANPUBLISHEDANARTICLEBYMATTRIDLEY(AUGUST2002,P.25),WHOSTARTEDMAKINGCROPCIRCLESINTEXASIN1991.HEWROTEABOUTHOWEASYITISTODEVELOPTECHNIQUESUSINGSIMPLETOOLSTHATCANEASILYFOOLLATEROBSERVERS.HEREPORTEDON"EXPERT"SOURCESSUCHASTHEWALLSTREETJOURNALWHOHADBEENEASILYFOOLED,ANDMUSEDABOUTWHYPEOPLEWANTTOBELIEVESUPERNATURALEXPLANATIONSFORPHENOMENATHATARENOTYETEXPLAINED.METHODSTOCREATEAHOAXEDCROPCIRCLEHAVEBEENWELL-DOCUMENTEDONTHEINTERNET,THERE'SEVENABEGINNERSGUIDE.ACOUNTERARGUMENTTOHOAXINGISTHATWHERECIRCLESAPPEARINCROPSMATUREENOUGHTHATTHEYCARRYSEEDS(ASTHEYDOSOOFTEN)SEED-PODSAREUNBROKEN,WHEREASTRAMPLINGCAUSESSEED-PODBREAKAGE.
CROPCIRCLEHOAXERSCOUNTERTHATITISEASYTOLEAVEDRYSEEDPODSUNBROKENDURINGSTOMPINGANDALSOLEAVENOTRACEOFENTRANCEANDEGRESSTRAMPLINGWHENTHEPLANTSANDGROUNDAREBOTHDRYANDSOMECAREISTAKENWHILEWALKING.SEVERALCROPCIRCLES,LATERTOHAVEBEENDETERMINEDTOBEHOAXES,WEREATFIRSTCERTIFIEDASBEING'GENUINE'BYCEREALOGISTSDUETOTHELACKOFSEEDPODBREAKAGE.ENTRYTOAFIELDWITHOUTLEAVINGTRACESISALSOEASY,SINCETHEREALWAYSARESEVERALTRACKSMADEBYTHEMACHINESUSEDTOSPRAYINSECTICIDESONTHECROPTHATPEOPLECANUSE.SOMECLAIMTHATTHECIRCLESMIGHTSTILLHAVEMERITASASOCIALPHENOMENONREGARDLESSOFTHEIRLEGITIMACY.NEWAGEEXPERTSHAVEEXPRESSEDINTERESTINRESEARCHINGTHESHAPESANDSYMBOLSDEPICTED.THEFIRSTPEOPLETOBECHARGEDWITHCREATINGACROPCIRCLEWEREHUNGARIANTEENAGERSGABORTAKACSANDROBERTDALLOS,BOTH17ANDFROMTHEST.STEPHENAGRICULTURALTECHNICUM,AHIGHSCHOOLINHUNGARYSPECIALIZINGINAGRICULTURE.ONTHENIGHTOFJUNE8TH1992THEYCREATEDA36METERDIAMETERCROPCIRCLEINAWHEATFIELDNEARSZEKESFEHERVAR,43MILESSOUTHWESTOFBUDAPEST.ONSEPTEMBER3RD1992THEYAPPEAREDONAHUNGARIANTVSHOWANDEXPOSEDTHECIRCLEASAHOAXSHOWINGPHOTOSOFTHEFIELDBEFOREANDAFTERTHECIRCLEWASMADE.ASARESULTARANYKALASZCO.THEOWNERSOFTHELANDTHATTHECORPCIRCLEWASCREATEDONSUEDTHEYOUNGSTERSFORFTS.630,000(APPROX5,000UKPOUNDS)INDAMAGES.THECOURTEVENTUALLYRULEDTHATTHEBOYSWEREONLYRESPONSIBLEFORTHEDAMAGECAUSEDINTHE36METERSDIAMETERCIRCLE,AMOUNTINGTOABOUTFTS.6,000(47UKPOUNDS).THEYCONCLUDEDTHAT99%OFTHEDAMAGETOTHECROPSWASCAUSEDBYTHETHOUSANDSOFVISITORSTHATFLOCKEDTOSZEKESFEHERVARFOLLOWINGTHEMEDIA'SPROMOTIONOFTHECIRCLE.THEFINEWASEVENTUALLYPAIDFORBYTHETVSHOW,ASWERETHEBOYSLEGALFEES.SOMECROP-CIRCLEPHOTOGRAPHSAREHOAXES,CREATEDUSINGIMAGEMANIPULATION.DESPITETHEFACTTHATMANYOFTHEMOSTCOMPLICATEDCROPCIRCLESCREATEDAREWELLDOCUMENTEDHUMANEFFORTS,SOMEENTHUSIASTSARGUETHATSOMEDESIGNSHAVEADEGREEOFCOMPLEXITYTHATHUMANSWOULDNOTBEABLETOEASILYRECREATEONPAPERLETALONEINAFIELDATNIGHT.THEYARGUETHATTHESHAPESOFTHESEFORMATIONSAREFARTOOCOMPLEX,ANDDISPLAYATREMEDOUSLYHIGHLEVELOFSYMMETRYWHICHMAKEITEXTREMELYDIFFICULTFORATEAMOFHUMANSTOCREATEUSINGJUSTSIMPLEHANDTOOLS.CIRCLEMAKERSRESPONDBYNOTINGTHATTHEONLYTOOLNECESSARYFORPERFECTSYMMETRYISAMEASUREDLENGTHOFROPEROTATEDAROUNDACENTRALPIVOTPOINT.IN1972TWOWITNESSES,ARTHURSHUTTLEWOODANDBRYCEBOND,SATONTHESLOPEOFSTARHILLNEARWARMINSTER,ENGLAND,HOPINGTOCATCHAGLIMPSEOFTHESTRANGEUNIDENTIFYEDFLYINGCRAFTTHATHADMADETHISPARTOFENGLANDAUFOMECCAFORALMOSTADECADE.INTHELIGHTOFAFULLMOON,FROMADISTANCEOF100FEET,THEYALLEGEDLYWITNESSEDALARGECIRCULARAREAOFPLANTSTHATCOLLAPSEDWITHINTWENTYSECONDSCREATINGACROPCIRCLE.CROPFORMATIONSARESOMETIMESACCOMPANIEDBYSIGHTINGSOFUNUSUALLIGHTSANDSTRUCTUREDCRAFTBEAMINGSHAFTSOFLIGHTONTOTHEFIELDTHENIGHTBEFORE.VERYOFTENCROPFORMATIONSAPPEARWHEREPOWERFULLEYLINESINTERSECTORTHEEARTH'SMAGNETICENERGYLINES.THISISOFTENATTHESAMEPLACEWHEREMEGALITHICSITESSUCHASSTONEHENGEAREFOUND.DOWSINGCANBEDONEWITHINTHEFORMATIONSAFTERTHECROPHASBEENPLOWEDWHENTHEREARENOLONGERTRACESOFPHYSICALEVIDENCE.IBELIEVETHEREALFORMATIONARECREATEDBYTHEGRIDCONSCIOUSNESSTHATCREATESOURREALITYTHEIRMESSAGESREFLECTCREATIONANDREBIRTH.THISLENDSITSELFTOCREATIONBYSOUNDASREALITYMANIFESTSBYSOUNDHARMONICS.THECONCEPTSFORTHEHOAXEDPATTERNSISALSOSETINPLAYBYTHESAMECONSCIOUSNESSASANAWAKENINGTOOL.REALITYISABOUTTHEEVOLUTIONOFCONSCIOUSNESSINTHEALCHEMYOFTIME.CROPCIRCLESDESIGNSEARLYEXAMPLESOFTHISPHENOMENONWEREUSUALLYSIMPLECIRCULARPATTERNSOFVARIOUSSIZES,WHICHLEDSOMEPEOPLETOSPECULATETHATITWASANATURALPHENOMENON.BUTAFTERSOMEYEARSMOREANDMOREELABORATEANDCOMPLEXGEOMETRICPATTERNSHAVEEMERGED.THEREHAVEBEENMANYRECURRINGTHEMESOVERTHEYEARS.INGENERAL,THEEARLYFORMATIONS(1970-2000)SEEMEDTOTHOSEWHOBELIEVEINAPARA-NORMALORIGINOFTHECIRCLESTOBEBASEDONTHEPRINCIPLESOFSACREDGEOMETRY.AFTERTHEPUBLICADMISSIONOFTHEORIGINALCREATORS,DOUGANDDAVE,CROPCIRCLEACTIVITYSKYROCKETED.EACHNEWDESIGNSOUGHTTOBEMORECOMPLEXTHANEARLIERDESIGNS.TODAYCROPCIRCLEDESIGNSHAVEINCREASEDINCOMPLEXITYTOTHEPOINTWHERETHEYHAVEBECOMEANARTFORMINANDOFTHEMSELVES.JOHNLUNDBERG,INANINTERVIEWWITHMARKPILKINGTON,SPOKEABOUTTHISCHANGEINCROPCIRCLEDESIGNS,"IAMRATHERENVIOUSOFCIRCLEMAKERSINOTHERCOUNTRIES.EXPECTATIONSABOUTTHESIZEANDCOMPLEXITYOFFORMATIONSTHATAPPEARINTHEUKARENOWVERYHIGH,WHEREASTHERATHERSHABBYLOOKINGRUSSIANFORMATIONMADETHENATIONALNEWS.THESTONEHENGEJULIASETWASFIRSTREPORTEDON7JULY,1996.ITMEASURED900BY500FEET,WITH151CIRCLES.JULIASETTHETREBLEJULIASET,WIDELYFELTTOBETHEPINNACLEOFTHECROPCIRCLEFORMATIONSINTHATYEAR,WASFOUNDONWINDMILLHILLNEARYATESBURY,WILTSHIREINJULY1996.LATERFORMATIONS,THOSEOCCURRINGAFTER2000,APPEARTOBEBASEDONOTHERPRINCIPLES,NATURALSCIENCESANDMATHEMATICSDESIGNS,INCLUDINGFRACTALS.MANYCROPCIRCLESHAVEFINEINTRICATEDETAIL,REGULARSYMMETRYANDCAREFULCOMPOSITION.ELEMENTSOFTHREE-DIMENSIONALITYBECAMEMOREFREQUENT,CULMINATINGINSPECTACULARIMAGESOFCUBE-SHAPEDSTRUCTURES.MAZE,CUBEANDSQUARES,COMPLEXFORMATIONWEREFOUND.NOTICETHESIZEOFTHEFORMATIONRELATIVETOTHEPEOPLELYINGINIT.CROPILLUSTRATIONSWHICHINCLUDECARTOONCHARACTERSHAVEALSOAPPEARED.CONTENDINGBELIEFSMOSTCRITICALOBSERVERS,ANDTHESCIENTIFICMAINSTREAM,ARECONVINCEDTHATCROPCIRCLESARESNIGGLESORHOAXESENGINEEREDBYHUMANS,ANDINDEEDMOREANDMORECROPFORMATIONSHAVEBEENCLAIMEDBYTHEIRMAKERS.THISEXPLANATION,SUPPORTEDBYTHEDOCUMENTATIONPRODUCEDBYSOMECROP-CIRCLEHOAXERS,HASTHEADVANTAGEOFNOTREQUIRINGTHEASSUMPTIONOFTHEEXISTENCEOFFLYINGSAUCERSOROTHERAS-YET-UNOBSERVEDPHENOMENA.HOWEVER,THEREAREMANYCONTENDINGHYPOTHESESWHICHASSUMETHATATLEASTSOMECROPCIRCLESARENOTTHEPRODUCTSOFMUNDANEHOAXERS;THESEHYPOTHESESVARYINTHEIRDEGREEOFSCIENTIFICRIGOR,BUTALLFALLTOSOMEEXTENTOUTSIDETHEMAINSTREAM.ONEMODERNBELIEFISTHATCROPCIRCLESARECREATEDBYFLYINGSAUCERSLANDINGINFIELDSANDFLATTENINGANEATCIRCLEINTHECROP.HOWEVER,THEINCREASINGCOMPLEXITYOFFORMATIONSFROMTHE1980SONMAKETHISCONJECTURESEEMUNLIKELY.SOMEENTHUSIASTSSUGGESTTHATCROPCIRCLEMAYBECYMATICS,THEVISUALISATIONOFVIBRATIONORSOUND.ACCORDINGTOTHISHYPOTHESIS,THECOMPLEXPATTERNSARETWO-DIMENSIONALGEOMETRICORVISUALREPRESENTATIONSOFSOUNDFREQUENCIES,WITHHIGHERSOUNDFREQUENCIESPRODUCINGMORECOMPLEXSHAPESSIMILARTOBOTHMANDALASANDCROPCIRCLEDESIGNS.ANOTHERHYPOTHESISISTHATAMAN-MADESATELLITEINEARTHORBITISUSINGSOMEKINDOFBEAM(E.G.,MICROWAVES)TOCREATETHEDESIGNS.HEATINGSTEMSOFWHEATWITHASHORTINTENSEBURSTOFMICROWAVEENERGYCANPRODUCEWILTINGSIMILARTOTHATINACROPCIRCLE.FLATTENEDSTEMSOFTENHAVETHEBENDJUSTBELOWASTEM-NODE,ANDALSOMAYFEATUREBLACKENEDBURNHOLESINDICATIVEOFINTENSEHEATING.MICROWAVEHEATINGHASBEENSHOWNTOBECAPABLEOFPRODUCINGTHESEEFFECTS.ITISPOSTULATEDBYBELIEVERSOFTHISTHEORYTHATTHEU.S.PENTAGON'S"STARWARS"PROGRAMHASASATELLITECAPABLEOFDELIVERINGSUCHAMICROWAVEBEAM.HOWEVER,THEREISAREASONABLECOUNTER-ARGUMENTTOTHISSTATINGTHATTHEREWERENOTRACESOFSUPPOSEDRADIATIONDETECTEDINTHECROPCIRCLES.CROPSTHATWEREBENTUSINGTHEMICROWAVETECHNIQUESHOWEDALLSIGNSOFVARIOUSRADIATIONSANDMOISTUREDIFFERENCES.THEORIGINALCROPSINTHECROPCIRCLESHOWEDNOABNORMALITIESCOMPAREDTONORMALCROPS,EXCEPTFORBEINGMYSTERIOUSLYBENT.FURTHERMORE,THE"STARWARS"THEORYLEADSTOTHEQUESTION"WHYWOULDAUSMILITARYSATELLITEBEMAKINGPATTERNSINCROPSACROSSTHEWORLD?"SUCHACTIVITYWOULDBEEITHERAMATTEROFOFFICIALPOLICY(INWHICHCASETHEQUESTION"WHY?"REMAINS)ORRANDOMACTSBY(BORED?)MILITARYPERSONNEL,WHICHWOULDBETANTAMOUNTTOFIRINGAMAJORANDHIGHLYSECRETWEAPONNEARPOPULATEDAREAS,ANDWOULDSURELYSUBJECTTHEPERPETRATOR(S)TOHARSHDISCIPLINARYACTION.OFTENTOUTEDASEVIDENCEFORTHEMYSTICORIGINOFCROPCIRCLESISTHECOINCIDENCETHATMANYCIRCLESINTHEAVEBURYAREAOFSOUTHERNENGLANDOCCURNEARANCIENTSITESSUCHASEARTHBARROWSORMOUNDS,WHITEHORSESCARVEDINTHECHALKHILLS,ANDSTONECIRCLES.OTHERIDEASONTHEIRFORMATIONHAVEBEENPROPOSEDINCLUDETORNADOES,FREAKWINDPATTERNS,BALLLIGHTNING,ANDSOMETHINGCALLED"PLASMAVORTICES".ANUMBEROFWITNESSESCLAIMTOHAVEOBSERVEDCIRCLESBEINGCREATED,SAYINGTHATITTAKESAFEWSECONDSANDTHECORNFALLSFLATLIKEAFANBEINGOPENED-THOUGHTHESEACCOUNTSAREALWAYSANECDOTALANDHAVENEVERBEENSUPPORTEDBYANYEVIDENCEBEYONDTHECLAIMANTS'ASSERTIONS.CROPCIRCLEENTHUSIASTSCLAIMTHATTHEREAREOTHERFEATURESOFCROPCIRCLESTHATUNDERCUTTHEHOAXTHEORY.THEYSAYTHATBENDSINTHECORNINMANYCIRCLESOCCURATTHENODE,WHILETHEFLATTENINGOFTHECORNBYHOAXERSPRODUCESACRACKATANYPOINTINTHESTEM,ANDSOMESCIENTIFICSTUDIESONAPICALNODESBEARTHEMOUT.ALSOTHEYSAYTHATFLATTENEDCORNOFTENLIESINGROOMEDLAYERS,RATHERTHANRANDOMCRUSHINGS.WHILETHEREHAVEBEENCASESINWHICHBELIEVERSDECLAREDCROPCIRCLESTOBE"THEREALTHING",ONLYTOBECONFRONTEDSOONAFTERWITHTHEPEOPLEWHOCREATEDTHECIRCLEANDDOCUMENTEDTHEFRAUD,THEBENDINGISSUEREMAINSINDISPUTE.ELECTRONICEQUIPMENTTHEREARENUMEROUSREPORTSOFELECTRONICANDMECHANICALEQUIPMENTBREAKINGDOWNINCROPCIRCLES.CAMERASFREQUENTLYMALFUNCTION,ANDEVENWHENTHEYDOWORK,THERESULTSMAYBEOVEREXPOSED,STREAKED,SMEARED,ORENTIRELYBLACK.VIDEOEQUIPMENTISALSOVERYVULNERABLE,ANDOFTENPICKSUPSEVEREINTERFERENCE.BATTERYDRAININGISQUITECOMMON,ANDEVENFRESHPOWERPACKSCANDIE.CELLPHONESOFTENFAILTOOPERATEWITHINAFORMATIONBUTSOMETIMESWORKPERFECTLYAGAINIFTAKENOUTSIDEIT.MAGNETICCOMPASSESFREQUENTLYBEHAVEERRATICALLYBOTHINSIDECROPFORMATIONSANDWHENFLYINGDIRECTLYOVERTHEM.WITNESSESSOMETIMESREPORTTV,CELLPHONE,SMOKEALARMANDSECURITYDEVICEINTERFERENCEORMALFUNCTIONSDURINGNIGHTSWHENACROPCIRCLEFORMSNEARBY.THENIGHTBEFORETHEAPPEARANCEOFTHE1991BARBURYCASTLETETRAHEDRON),RESIDENTSINTHENEARBYVILLAGEOFBROUGHTONEXPERIENCEDAPOWERBLACKOUTANDMANYRESIDENTSREPORTEDBALLSOFCOLOUREDLIGHTFLYINGABOVETHEFIELDWHERETHEFORMATIONLATERMANIFESTED,ALONGWITHALOWRUMBLINGNOISE.