Crop Circles – Unexplained Patterns of Flattened Fields

Crop circles refer to patterns made by the flattening of agricultural fields. They are generally formed on grain crops whose long stalks make the patterns quite noticeable. According to many experts, true crop circles must be created by the crushing of crops, rather than by burning or cutting. Although many people associate crop circles with locations in the United Kingdom, examples of these phenomena have been sighted all over the world.

The earliest reported case seems to have occurred in 1880 near Surrey, England. However, it was not until the twentieth century that crop circles truly became a popular paranormal phenomena. This may be due to technological innovations, like the airplane and camera, which made documenting these patterns much easier. Photographs consistently show a variety of patterns in crop circles. Some have taken the form of what is called “sacred geometry.” Sacred geometry refers to mathematical patterns common in nature and subsequently adopted for various religious purposes. Other patterns are more intricate and can be associated with the mathematical principle of fractals.

Several theories surround the creation of these mysterious patterns. Some experts claim many of the designs are too perfect to be manmade. In many cases, sightings of flashing lights or objects in the sky have accompanied crop circle report. Thus, many people associate the circles with UFO phenomena. Some believe they are actually messages from extraterrestrials. Others claim they are landing marks from alien spacecraft. To prove this assertion, testing has been done, which may indicate the presence of ionic energy within crop circles. However, little evidence other than eyewitness anecdotes supports the UFO theory.

Those skeptical of extraterrestrial involvement claim crop circles are the result of some natural phenomena. One possible meteorological cause could be freak tornadoes, which might land in fields and cause crop flattening. Another weather-related speculation is that ball lightning causes the designs. Ball lighting is a rare atmospheric condition similar to storm lighting. Essentially, orbs of electrical energy appear and float erratically for several seconds causing varying degrees of damage. Other proponents of naturally caused circles are those who believe the phenomena result from ley lines. Ley lines are supposed areas of the Earth possessing special energy and thus making certain regions spiritually important. Although never proven to exist, many people believe sights like Stonehenge were created on such energy plains.

In some cases, crop circles have been proven to be man made. Most notable is the case of Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, who spent decades making crop circles in the United Kingdom before admitting to their craft. Among enthusiasts, crop circle creation has become an art form. In fact, many creators consider the complexity of design to be a sort of competition. Some, like John Lundberg, actually started circle clubs. However, some crop circle creators have been indicted for their actions. For example, in 1992, two Hungarian students were charged and fined for creating crop circles in a field outside Budapest.

Currently, the total number of reported crop circle cases stands around 12,000 worldwide. While as many as 80% of these can be shown to have been manmade, others remain unexplained. Thus, researchers continue to study these formations for clues to their appearance. Data collection has included testing for various energy forms, radioactive substances, heat sources, and more. However, no conclusive theories have yet been published.