Comments on: Can Anyone Explain The Latest Crop Circle?

By: Limbo

Limbo — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:44:07 +0000

Ross,

Thanks for a great post.

Two things.

First, Matthew Williams was arrested for circle-making.

Second, I wonder if you’ve seen the documentary ‘Cirle-makers’. It’s on google video. It’s two hours of interviews with circle makers.

I was hoping you would watch it and comment. Thanks!

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:27:48 +0000

Greetings Greg et al - Too tempting of a topic and worthy discussion to pass up a comment this morning. I have been visiting the UK crop circles for the past nine summers. My formal education is technical (BS, MS) but my informal education is steeped in philosophy, alternative medicine, unexplained phenomenon, and the like.
Indeed, Whitley’s criteria for “absolute proof” is quite flimsy. Always a good idea to be skeptical, yet open minded. The biggest problem is that the answers to many “mysterious phenomena” are inaccessible to mainstream science. Either their toolboxes are inadequate to detect and compile the pertinent data, or their intellectual filters don’t allow them to ask and explore the most appropriate questions.
On the the crop circle of question. Statistically, East Field receives more crop circles than any other in world. It is also surrounded on its north and south flanks by high hills, allowing for convenient surveillance. Much could be learned if someone were to offer a grant to cover night time filming/observation of this field from two or three vantage points every evening of July and August. However, no one has ever funded such a project.
Still, those individuals that desire to observe a formation being made themselves are usually drawn to the hills overlooking East Field. All amateurs, some have no equipment, others carry some of the latest in low light level technology. I believe the observations by RICKY detailed above and could likely track down a number of others that were on the hills or in the field that night with a similar story.
A slight correction to Greg’s comment, the lines in the field are known as “tram lines” as that is what they call their tractors here. Some formations seem to be laid out in unison with the lines, others don’t seem to have any correlation. Since the tram lines are the only way to access a virgin field without leaving evidence of your intrusion, I have always been more skeptical of the formations whose centers and key elements are on or right near to tram lines. But, that does not constitute proof either way of being man made or “genuine”.
I have seen some very intricate weaves and lays of the grain in the formations over the years. This particular one is uncommon, beautiful, and complex. Often, more telling, is the method of construction. From my own observations in the formation four days ago, the circle was not created based on locating a center point and flattening the wheat. The first crop laid down were alternating 10″ wide lines spaced about 24″ apart. One would run north, over 24″ then another would run south, leaving a two foot wide column of standing wheat running north and south. Still no ring or circle evident, except that the ends of the varying lengths of the 10″ lines created a spherical shape. Next was a two foot wide ring outlining the edge of the circle. For humans it would have been exponentially easier to have reversed those two steps. Then, the 24″ standing wheat was laid down in 24″ sections alternating east and west on top of the 10″ lines. This is what created the “basket” or “waffle” effect. Impossible for humans? No. Extremely difficult? Yes. Especially considering the precision, darkness, and short amount of time.
I am somewhat familiar with the techniques used by the human circle makers and am always fascinated to find details in the construction that can’t be accounted for by their methods. I will admit that I do not know “all” of their methods. I have found examples more compelling that this one this summer as well as seasons past. I occasionally have the chance to investigate and observe commissioned man made formations, and get to compare. Very educational. Some human circle makers are far more capable than most allow to be possible. However, there are still some qualities that man made ones can not replicate.
In 20 years of research and 9 years of visiting the formations first hand, I have yet to find a fool proof “recipe” to tell you if a circle is man made or genuine. I caution you to believe anyone that says they have! Having said that, it is clear that somewhere between 10-90% of the known formations are not man made. This means hundreds or thousands have no known origin. Wow! And, clearly, the man made ones are copying a genuine phenomenon.
Echoing Bruce’s point, if these are all man made, then each summer, for the past 20 years and beyond, a repeating crime spree of vandalism occurs, on a large scale, across the Wiltshire county countryside. Where are the police? What are they to do? Why haven’t they caught even one person in the act, so to speak? While there is a micro tourism effect out here, it is not significant enough to account for a conspiracy to hush the farmers and let the vandalism continue. Also, if they are predominantly man made, the artwork and craftsmanship is unique, beautiful, and astonishing. The mathematical and geometrical knowledge mind blowing. Where are the science, math and especially ART communities on this phenomenon? Awards, showings, and grants ought to be showered on these anonymous artists. Hmmm . . .
Fascinating phenomenon, possibly, with huge implications. Enjoy!

By: autobono

autobono — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:07:40 +0000

Greg:

Thanks for the clarification. That’s definitely what I was referring to: I saw that the ‘weave’ of the design runs sympathetically parallel to the trunk lines.

Why would a design of non-human/paranormal origin be dependent on the angle of the pre-drawn trunk lines? If the tractor/combine that drew the trunk lines beforehand had pointed in a slightly different angle, would the design have ended up cocked at that angle, too?

If that’s the case, then whoever made the design seems to be dependent on the trunk lines to provide them with an angle from which to form their design. This points to the design being of prosaic, human origin, because using the trunk lines to orient yourself sounds like a perfectly practical way to start working out such a complex pattern, once within the field.

The time issue is a different problem. Less available time in which to complete the design = more hoaxers/circle artists needed to complete the design; meanwhile, more hoaxers/circle artists = increased chance of detection.

Heck, either way, it’s an achievement!

-A

By: Greg Bishop

Greg Bishop — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:14:11 +0000

autobono,

Those lines in the field are in almost all crop fields and are called “trunk lines.” They are where farm machinery roll through the fields for fertilizing, harvesting, etc. Crop circle researchers use these to get to the formations without damaging more crops.

At least that’s what I think you were referring to.

By: Greg Bishop

Greg Bishop — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:11:29 +0000

Ben,

Thanks for the info.

A “FOG” COVERED THE FIELD!? Seems like it might be one of those cases that gets curiouser in a way that turns most people away very quickly. Multiple witnesses to this would be helpful, and this still does not rule out circle artists/ hoaxers. To me. Yet.

By: Greg Bishop

Greg Bishop — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:07:55 +0000

Bruce,

Once again, we agree pretty much completely and you have completed my thoughts on the post!

I think that some answers have been found, namely that a small portion of the circles are most likely due to causes other than people sneaking into fields late at night armed with string and ropes attached to boards. That’s a working hypothesis though, and open to amendment.

By: Greg Bishop

Greg Bishop — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:04:26 +0000

Gareth,

The “weaving” I was referring to were reports of individual stalks in circles which were apparently woven together (crossed over each other) in a way that would not be done by stomping on boards. I remember seeing photos of this phenomenon in reports given at conferences. Still haven’t seen any explanation for that.

I read that Salla piece. I have long since cased listening to Salla after he gave me a negative review of Project Beta and debated with me online about my sources, which I answered. He inadvertently ended the discussion by stating that people had problems with his method of research because he didn’t “rely on documented evidence or corroborated testimony.” I stated that we had nothing to talk about at that point.

By: autobono

autobono — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:33:07 +0000

The ‘woven’ texture of the crop circle is perfectly parallel to what appear to be vehicle tracks that cross the field. Should those tracks be considered part of the phenomena, or are they agnostic to the phenomena? Were they there before, or did they arrive after the discovery of the design?

Although fascinating, it’s for this reason that I don’t regard this particular design as self-evidently paranormal.

It sure is neat looking, though!

By: curious

curious — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:17:41 +0000

I agree with Bruce Duensing about this topic. I don’t think anyone really wants to get to the bottom of the crop circle mystery. Maybe someone could do a REAL documentary about it — calling it “Stalking the Stalks.”

By: BenDoverEsq.

BenDoverEsq. — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:04:01 +0000

Someone at Crop Circle Connector left a comment on this circle. I wonder how long it would take Nick’s circle making friends to make a circle like this? That comment is not meant to sound snarky or to be a slight at Nick, I honestly wonder. Anyway, here’s the comment from the Crop Circle Connector:
RICKY (Updated Thursday 16th July)
Just to let you know, that I was covering Eastfield the night/morning that the formation went down … and had clear view of the field up to 4:15 approximately - after that a fog rolled in very quickly and the field was fog bound until I left, some time after 5 am. I attach two frame grabs from the Milk Hill side of the midfield, looking towards Woodborough. At 3:15, the field was still clear; when a party of Dutch circle visitors arrived at the edge of the field. As you can see from IR cam 3, the field was clear at that time. At 4:18 was the last chance to see the whole field before the fog set in and at 4:25 the Dutch team walked the divider between the two crops in towards the direction of Woodborough to investigate the field - found nothing and returned from the field at 4:36 - as seen here on cam 3. By now, the field was fog bound.
There were a series of interesting phenomena captured on camera, starting at 12:24 am which I am still investigating and studying the footage - more on that later … but it is fair to say, that it is very exciting. This area of the field was covered by cameras 3 and 4, plus a long exposure still camera - so a we have a good record up until the fog at 4:18.