Crop Circles
POSTED BY: misbehaven
UPDATED: Friday, September 1, 2006 17:53
VIEWED: 5794
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I think we could all use a break from religious/political threads (Yes, I realize I've started more than a few). So, I was thinking about crop circles. It's interesting and hopefully neutral. I was reading an article, in Coast to Coast AM's "After Dark" newsletter, which states:"that to date more than 10,000 crop circles have been reported in every continent and over 70 countries worldwide..." Also, crop circles are mentioned in some 17th century texts, so it's hardly a recent phenomenon. Their origins are still unexplained, although there are many theories: Plasma Vortex Theory, Microwave-Laser Technology, and Extraterrestrial Visitors to name a few. It's estimated that 80% are fake, yet others appear to be genuine.
So, what are your thoughts? Is it E.T.'s, government weapons testing, pranksters with boards and garden rollers, or something altogether different?
Morbid and creepifying I got no problem with, so long as you do it quiet like.
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I have no idea. But I am extremely intrigued. Without further information, I lean towards manmade. I don't know that any of them are "fake"--I mean, they are all real and there to be photographed. I don't think being manmade makes them any less remarkable really. Some of these formations are spectacular works of art.
What I am reading is that the formations themselves often register electrostatic charges or anomalies that gradually dissipate within 6 weeks. It suggests some sort of electromagnetic process was involved. I am looking for further info on this.
Can't Take My Gorram Sky 
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I personally have no idea.
However, I am finding this site fascinating (I still haven't decided if it is legit or not): http://www.circlemakers.org/index.html
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That's an interesting site. I know there were a couple of Brits who claimed to have started this some years ago. Apparently, they were only using a board with strings tied to each end. But I also saw a program on either the History channel or the Discovery channel (I don't remember which one) where someone using a camera equipped with night-vision documented a crop circle actually being formed. There were a couple of spherical lights that passed over a field, and within minutes the design appeared. According to the program the footage was authentic, and wasn't sped up in any way. The video can probably be seen on the internet, if you're inclined to search for it long enough.
They're amazing designs whether they're manmade or not, especially the more recent ones. They seem to be getting larger and more complex.
"The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation."
-Bertrand Russell
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Quote:This is a characteristic of some crop circles that has been used by some to allege a supernatural or extraterrestrial origin. MIT students claim to have duplicated this feature by using a make shift flame flower or explosive charge to disperse ~50 micron diameter magnetized iron particles. Whether their results actually produce the desired effect, I’m not sure. At least one person, a Nancy Talbott, disagrees. However, I’m really very skeptical of the whole bunch, MIT and BLT. The MIT students were largely undergraduates. And BLT Research’s mission statement is that their “primary focus is crop circle research.” Crop circle research?
Originally posted by canttakesky:
What I am reading is that the formations themselves often register electrostatic charges or anomalies that gradually dissipate within 6 weeks. It suggests some sort of electromagnetic process was involved. I am looking for further info on this.
Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.
Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.
-- Cicero
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Quote:Don't laugh.
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
Crop circle research?
http://www.cropcircleresearch.com/
Can't Take My Gorram Sky
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Quote:
Originally posted by canttakesky:
I don't know that any of them are "fake"--I mean, they are all real and there to be photographed.
I should probably clarify "fake and genuine." According to crop circle researchers, "fake" crop circles are those that can definitely be proven to be manmade, and "genuine" crop circles are those formed with an indeterminable means, which all have similar characteristics.
Morbid and creepifying I got no problem with, so long as you do it quiet like.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
Crop circle research?
Hey Irish,
Glad you joined us.
Crop circle researchers? Who knew, huh? I want one of those jobs. I propose assembling a research team to perform a comprehensive, multiple year study. Travel to exotic places around the world, meet new and interesting people, and receive government funding for research (MIT?)."The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation."
-Bertrand Russell
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Quote:I am familiar with that terminology. However, I take exception to it. It assumes that there are formations made with an intent to deceive, and formations that aren't. If we don't know who made them, how they were made, and why they were made, how can we assume that some were meant to deceive and others aren't? I would prefer different language to make the distinction, though I am not yet sure what.
Originally posted by misbehaven:
According to crop circle researchers, "fake" crop circles are those that can definitely be proven to be manmade, and "genuine" crop circles are those formed with an indeterminable means, which all have similar characteristics.
I should have said that I object to the use of the word "fake."
Can't Take My Gorram Sky
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Quote:I already do most of that. It's not all it's cracked up to be. I suggest defining a new type of crop circle: the amorphous non-agrarian crop circle. That way I can research it from the comfort of my own front porch and when my neighbors complain about the patchy deadness of my lawn I can assure them it is for scientific posterity.
Originally posted by misbehaven:
Hey Irish,
Glad you joined us.
Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.
Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.
-- Cicero
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