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The first reported sightings of crop circles occurred in the 1970s. The number of circles reported varies from approximately 2,000 (according to the International Crop Circle Database) to an estimated 10,000 sightings worldwide. The first patterns were simple circles and rings in wheat and barley fields, and soon all similar occurrences were referred to as "crop circles." Many recent patterns are elaborate geometrical designs such as fractals. The crops (usually grasses) in the circles have their stems bent down, not cut, to make the patterns. Sometimes the stems are
all bent in the same direction. In some circles, the stems aren't bent near the ground but higher up, in the middle of the stem. Patterns range in size from just a few yards across to huge designs that can only be seen fully from the air. Wiltshire County in South England is a hotbed of crop-circle activity, with patterns appearing regularly throughout the summer season. Coincidentally, the Wiltshire area is also home to Stonehenge. Speculation continues about the source of these circles. Whirlwind or plasma vortexes, earth energies, and microwave transient heating are all popular theories. Many believe that extraterrestrial
forces create crop circles. People who subscribe to this theory often think the patterns form messages from aliens to humanity. In 1991, two elderly Englishmen, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, confessed to creating hundreds of crop circles, beginning in the early 1970s. This led most media sources to proclaim that all crop circles had been hoaxes. Some crop-circle scholars pointed out that these two men couldn't possibly have created all the circles, particularly those outside the U.K. Other self-described crop-circle artists, such as Circlemakers, suggest that Bower and Chorley started a trend that was picked up by others worldwide. The Museum
of Unnatural Mystery notes that the number and complexity of the circles have grown in response to media coverage. These artists consider crop circles a creative challenge, and continue to make new and more elaborate patterns. You can even learn how to make your own. Conspiracy theorists claim that Bower and Chorley's confession was staged by the British Ministry of Defense in collusion with the CIA. More thoughtful crop-circle fans admit that some circles are man-made but believe that others aren't. One Finnish theorist lists the following evidence of circles that defy human abilities: huge and intricate designs appearing
quickly, stalks bent above ground level, and electromagnetic anomalies within circles. Ultimately, no one really knows the source of every crop circle, much less what they mean.
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