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Mystery behind crop circles
JAN 11 - Crop circles first appeared in the fields of
Southern England in the mid-1970s.
Since then, throughout the centuries, many recordings have been made. Crop circles are symbolic patterns that have been forming around the globe in crop laden fields almost unexpectedly. The formations in the crops have evolved from simple circles in the beginning to beautiful geometric shapes of today.
When the shapes are formed, the crops are flattened but the stalks are bent - not broken. Many believe that to anyone who steps into a real crop circle for the first time, it is evident that they are not man-made. While it is hard to even draw these patterns properly on a piece of paper in a matter of minutes, the formations are made with such hairbreadth precision on a huge area on a wheat field.
Crop circle phenomenon can be found in many parts of the world. Formations have been reported in Australia, South Africa, China, Russia, and many other countries, frequently in close proximity to ancient sacred sites. Although, in the last 30 years sceptics have tried to prove that crop circles are manmade hoaxes, their attempts have never gone past making rough patterns that do not resemble a proper circle from any vantage point. All these sceptics have been able to do is leave behind a messy heap of damaged crop stalks.
It is common practice in today’s society to dispose any such phenomenon which can’t be explained through science or rationality to the rubbish-bin of “paranormal”. Crop circles have also had their share of such theories. People believe that distorted magnetic fields that cause compasses to spin, strange sounds (like numerous crickets screeching) that have been recorded, and sightings of UFOs and strange lights in the area where crop circles are later found all point out the play of extra-terrestrial beings.
There are many explanations for these crop circles; ranging from the slightly believable to ridiculousness! Although, localised tornadoes, wind gusts and plasma vortices can be the cause for some of the simple circles, most do not explain the formation of extremely complex designs. Other, theories which can be read in newspapers have put forward some incredible suggestions including an “army of hedgehogs going round and round” and two old men, Doug & Dave who have supposedly made some 300 circles a year in more than 8 countries since 1975 using a piece of wood and some string!
The latest evidence by scientists points to the fact that the crops seem to have been subjected to some sort of microwave radiation that has boiled the water in the plant cells, causing these to expand and sometimes burst at the “growth nodes” causing the plants to bend, thus forming the circle or agro-glyph.
Whether it be just simple tricks of nature or the play of a ‘supernatural phenomenon’ crop circles have fascinated many who study them. As the designs and patterns grow more and more complex, it is only right to say that these formations are one of the deliciously mysterious puzzles of our world today.
(Based on information from crop circle websites)
Some facts
< Crop circles are formed within a few minutes. A genuine film footage showed a circle took precisely three seconds to form.
< Crop stalks are never broken. They are all gently folded down in a perfectly ordered circular pattern.
< Edges of the circles are extremely smooth and the demarcation between the rolled over stalks and standing stalks is astoundingly precise.
<Scale of the circle formation is usually quite huge. Most of them can only be properly viewed and assessed from the air.
< Designs are perfectly symmetrical and incorporate advanced mathematics and geometry.
<Crop stalks show evidence of being genetically altered.
(cropnews.com)Posted on: 2004-01-12 04:14
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