UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN

Crop circles — strange patterns that appear mysteriously overnight in farmers' fields—provoke puzzlement, delight and intrigue among the press and public alike. The circles are mostly found in the United Kingdom, but have spread to dozens of countries around the world in past decades. The mystery has inspired countless books, blogs, fan groups, researchers (dubbed "cereologists") and even Hollywood films.

Despite having been studied for decades, the question remains: Who — or what — is making them?

Early crop circles

Many people believe that crop circles have been reported for centuries, a claim repeated in many books and websites devoted to the mystery. Their primary piece of evidence is a woodcut from 1678 that appears to show a field of oat stalks laid out in a circle. Some take this to be a first-hand eyewitness account of a crop circle, but a little historical investigation shows otherwise.

A woodcut pamphlet that some claim represents an early crop circle.

A woodcut pamphlet that some claim represents an early crop circle.

The woodcut actually illustrates what in folklore is called a "mowing devil" legend, in which an English farmer told a worker with whom he was feuding that he "would rather pay the Devil himself" to cut his oat field than pay the fee demanded. The source of the harvesting is not unknown or mysterious; it is indeed Satan himself, who — complete with signature horns and a tail — can be seen in the woodcut holding a scythe.

Some claim that the first crop circles (though they were not called that at the time) appeared near the small town of Tully, Australia. In 1966, a farmer said he saw a flying saucer rise up from a swampy area and fly away; when he went to investigate he saw a roughly circular area of debris and apparently flattened reeds and grass, which he assumed had been made by the alien spacecraft (but which police investigators said was likely caused by a natural phenomena such as a dust devil or waterspout). Referred in the press as "flying saucer nests," this story is more a UFO report than a crop circle report.

As in the 1678 mowing devil legend, the case for it being linked to crop circles is especially weak when we consider that the impression or formation was not made in a crop of any kind but instead in ordinary grass. A round impression in a lawn or grassy area is not necessarily mysterious (as anyone with a kiddie pool in the back yard knows). Indeed, mysterious circles have appeared in grass throughout the world that are sometimes attributed to fairies but instead caused by disease.

Modern crop circles

In fact, the first real crop circles didn't appear until the 1970s, when simple circles began appearing in the English countryside. The number and complexity of the circles increased dramatically, reaching a peak in the 1980s and 1990s when increasingly elaborate circles were produced, including those illustrating complex mathematical equations.

In July 1996, one of the world's most complex and spectacular crop circles appeared in England, across a highway from the mysterious and world-famous Stonehenge monument in the Wiltshire countryside. It was astonishing fractal pattern called a Julia Set, and while some simple or rough circles might be explained away as the result of a strange weather phenomenon, this one unmistakably demonstrated intelligence. The only question was whether that intelligence was terrestrial or extra-terrestrial.

Making the design all the more mysterious, it was claimed that the circle appeared in less than an hour and during the daytime — which, if true, would be virtually impossible for hoaxers to accomplish. The circle became one of the most famous and important crop circles in history.

It was later revealed that the circle had in fact been made in about three hours (by three hoaxers) very early that morning. It simply hadn't been noticed until the following afternoon when spotted from an airplane overhead.

People inspect crop circles within a golden wheat field in Switzerland. The photo was taken on July 29, 2007.

People inspect crop circles within a golden wheat field in Switzerland. The photo was taken on July 29, 2007.

Credit: Jabberocky public domain

Theories & explanations

Unlike other mysterious phenomenon such as psychic powers, ghosts, or Bigfoot, there is no doubt that crop circles are "real." The evidence that they exist is clear and overwhelming. The real question is instead what creates them — and there are ways to investigate that question.

We can look at both internal and external evidence to evaluate crop circles. Internal information includes the content and meaning of the designs (is there anything that indicates that any information contained in the "messages" is of extraterrestrial origin?), and external information, including the physical construction of the crop designs themselves (is there anything that indicates that the designs were created by anything other than humans?)

Crop circle enthusiasts have come up with many theories about what create the patterns, ranging from the plausible to the absurd. One explanation in vogue in the early 1980s was that the mysterious circle patterns were accidentally produced by the especially vigorous sexual activity of horny hedgehogs. Some people have suggested that the circles are somehow created by localized and precise wind patterns, or by scientifically undetectable Earth energy fields and meridians called ley lines.

Others, such as molecular biologist Horace Drew, suggest that the answer lies instead in time travel or alien life. He theorizes that the patterns could be made by human time travelers from the distant future to help them navigate our planet. Drew, working on the assumption that the designs are intended as messages, believes he has decoded crop circle symbols and that they contain messages such as "Believe," "There is good out there," "Beware the bearers of false gifts and their broken promises," and "We oppose deception" (all, presumably, in English).

However, these odd, pseudo-biblical messages undermine the credibility of the crop circles, or at least the meaning read into them. Of all the information that an extraterrestrial intelligence might choose to convey to humanity — ranging from how to contact them to engineering secrets of faster-than-light travel — these aliens chose to impart intentionally cryptic messages about false gifts, broken promises, and hope for mankind (along with what seems to be a reference to a popular "The X-Files" slogan).

Many who favor an extraterrestrial explanation claim that aliens physically make the patterns themselves from spaceships; others suggest that they do it using invisible energy beams from space, saving them the trip down here. Still others believe that it is human, not extraterrestrial, thought and intelligence that is behind the patterns — not in the form of hoaxers but some sort of global psychic power that manifests itself in wheat and other crops.

Another triskelion crop circle. The symbol can be used to represent cycles, progress or competition.

Another triskelion crop circle. The symbol can be used to represent cycles, progress or competition.

Credit: Thomas J. Sutter, Jr. public domain

While there are countless theories, the only known, proven cause of crop circles is humans. Their origin remained a mystery until September 1991, when two men confessed that they had created the patterns for decades as a prank to make people think UFOs had landed (they had been inspired by the 1966 Tully UFO report). They never claimed to have made all the circles — many were copycat pranks done by others — but their hoax launched the crop circle phenomena.

Most crop circle researchers admit that the vast majority of crop circles are created by hoaxers. But, they claim, there's a remaining tiny percentage that they can't explain. The real problem is that (despite unproven claims by a few researchers that stalks found inside "real" crop circles show unusual characteristics), there is no reliable scientific way to distinguish "real" crop circles from man-made ones.

Crop circle features

While there are always a few exceptions, virtually all crop circles share a set of common characteristics.

Circles.

Crop circles, as the name implies, almost always involve circles — rarely triangles, rectangles, or squares, though some designs contain straight or curved lines. Perhaps not coincidentally, a circle is the easiest pattern for hoaxers to create.

This design of three flying birds was created on Aug. 3, 2003, in the county of Wiltshire in southern England. The birds, which resemble swallows, have ever-diminishing circles trailing behind their wing tips.

Nocturnal creation.

Crop circles are formed overnight, often sighted by farmers or passersby the next morning. Though there seems no logical reason for extraterrestrials or earth energies to only create patterns at night, it is obviously a great advantage for hoaxers to create the designs under the cover of darkness; full moon nights are especially popular.

Camera shyness.

Crop circles have never been recorded being made (except, of course, for those created by hoaxers). This is a very suspicious trait; after all, if mysterious earthly forces or aliens are at work, there's no reason to think that they wouldn't happen when cameras are recording.

Access to roads.

Crop circles usually appear in fields that provide reasonably easy public access, close to roads and highways. They rarely appear in remote, inaccessible areas. Because of this, the patterns are usually noticed within a day or two of their creation by passing motorists.

There are many theories about what creates crop circles, including aliens, mysterious vortices, time travelers and wind patterns, but they all lack one important element: good evidence. The only known cause of crop circles is humans. Perhaps one day a mysterious, unknown source will be discovered for crop circles, but until the perhaps they are best thought of as collective public art.

Additional resources

It is official that there are many records of UFOs in the early 1900’s and throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. But On top of that, there are many recorded events from thousands and thousands of years ago which, when looked at from a modern day perspective, sound very much like today’s UFO sightings.

This confirms that if even a very small percentage of these early records are accurate, then it would appear that UFOs, have had an interest in human beings since the beginning of time.

Here are ten such recorded UFO incidents:

10. Torch In The Sky 343 BC

According to writings by Diodorus Siculus Timoleon, while he was traveling from Corinth to Sicily around 343 BC, several bright lights, or lampas, would guide his journey. Although it was seen as a sign of help from the heavens, when looked at from a modern perspective, it could be regarded as a UFO sighting. According to the text, “All through the night he was preceded by a torch blazing in the sky up to the moment when the squadron made harbor in Italy.” Interestingly, Timoleon also claimed to have been foretold of “fame and glory” during this guidance, suggesting that some kind of interaction beyond a simple sighting had taken place, possibly telepathic communication—again, something often claimed in modern-day UFO encounters.Many historians have claimed the sighting to be nothing more than a comet or even a meteor shower. However, there are no such events on record, and furthermore, the lights were visible constantly and in a fixed direction right up until the squadron arrived on the shores of home, not how you would expect a comet or meteor to behave.

9. The Second Punic War Sightings 218–201 BC

There were many sightings of strange aerial phenomenon during the Second Punic War between 218 and 201 BC. Rome’s Annales maximi would tell of several of them.In 218 BC, there were reports of ships which gleamed in the sky coming out of the clouds. Two years later in 216 BC came a similar sighting of “gleaming round shields” traveling through the air. Each of the descriptions given of these two sightings can easily be imagined as the common UFOs described in the modern era. Many such sightings took place during times of war, which is a point carried over into modern conflicts. Many researchers believe the chaos created in conflict acts as a conduit for increased UFO activity. These sightings are also quite often seen by multiple witnesses. Both of these details are the backdrop to our next entries.

8. Three Moons Sighting 122 BC

Over the skies of Ariminium, Italy, in around 122 BC, there were several sightings of “three moons” appearing in the sky together. Furthermore, these objects were visible during the daylight hours as well as night.In Book II of his Natural History, Pliny would be one person who recorded the event, stating, “Three moons have appeared at once in the consulship of Gnaeus Domitius and Gaius Fannius.” Another writing of the three moons appears in Book I of Roman History, which says, “At Ariminium bright light like the day blazed out at night,” and that “three moons became visible” in many parts of the country.Whether this was a sighting of an intelligently guided craft or not is up for debate. Some mainstream historians have postulated that the sightings were an atmospheric phenomenon. Whether this would be something that writers at the time would have felt the need to record is also a matter of opinion.

7. The Roman Army 74 BC

As the Roman army progressed toward a clash with the army of King Mithridates VI in what is now modern-day Turkey, both sides would witness something completely out of the ordinary. The account, which took place in 74 BC, was chronicled by the historian Plutarch. (Note, however, that Plutarch was not alive during 74 BC.) Plutarch stated that despite the perfectly fine and pleasant weather, a sudden boom announced itself over the area, and a flash spread across the sky. He then wrote that “a huge, flame-like body was seen to fall between the two armies.”Furthermore, Plutarch would provide a solid and detailed description of the object. He stated it to be the shape of a wine jar and the color of molten silver. The object landed in between the two armies, stopping their advancements. Each army, both fascinated and scared of the mysterious craft before them, began to retreat, temporarily halting the conflict.

6. The Hanging Comet 12 BC

There is actually very little known about this particular incident, but it is worth including here simply because of the bizarre nature of it at a time when very few things should have been in the sky at all. In 12 BC, a strange “comet-like” object simply hovered over Rome for several days. It then “melted” into what was described as flashes that looked similar to torches. The account, as brief as it is, doesn’t mention any kind of sound or loud noise, so it is unlikely to have been a sudden explosion. Might it be that the craft was a mother ship of some kind, which dispersed smaller, probe-like craft after surveying the area as it hovered?It is perhaps also worth noting here that any accounts in Roman history arguably should be taken slightly more seriously than others. The reason for this is that Roman historians and recorders of current events had to go through strict procedures to ensure their reports were credible and accurate, and only then could the account be entered into the official record.

5. Chariots In The Clouds AD 75

Perhaps one of the best-recorded ancient sightings was that by Josephus in AD 75. According to his account, a mysterious and unnerving spectacle occurred over the skies of Judea. Josephus claimed, “Chariots and troops of soldiers in their Armour were seen running about among the clouds.” He would state the encounter to be “a miraculous phenomenon, passing belief.

”What is also interesting about the recording of this particular sighting is the awareness of Josephus that he might not be believed. Fortunately, there were other witnesses to the event, as Josephus writes that it would likely have been “deemed a fable were it not for the narratives of eyewitnesses” who had seen it, too.Furthermore, the events had taken place around the entire country as “armed battalions hurtling through the clouds” were witnessed over every city. Also, “great noise” rained down from above, causing “quakes” on the ground. Roman historian Tacitus mentioned the event in his writings, stating, “In the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armour.” As crazy as it sounds, it would appear that what is being described is an aerial conflict.

4. Sighting Of Pope Pius I AD 150ghting By The Bro

Although there are doubts due to the fact of him being the only witness, the brother of Pope Pius I is said to have seen a UFO around AD 150 in Via Campana, Italy. The sighting took place in the middle of the afternoon, which, according to the witness, was a bright, sunny day. Out of nowhere, an object, described by the brother as “a beast,” descended downward. It was in the shape and color of “a piece of pottery” and had a top of multiple colors which shot out “fiery rays.”The object landed on the ground, causing clouds of dust to appear. When they had a cleared, “a maiden clad in white” was visible near the object.Nothing more is told, although modern UFO researchers have documented many claims of “angelic aliens” dressed all in white. Might this have been one of them?

3. Angel Hair Incident AD 196

Angel Hair is a chalk-like, silvery substance which sometimes rains down to the ground following UFO sightings. There are many accounts of this on record throughout the 20th century. There are also several accounts from ancient times. “Rains of chalk” were reported in Cales in 214 BC. A similar incident occurred in Rome in 98 BC.Perhaps the best of these ancient angel hair events is recorded by Cassius Dio, who wrote in AD 196 of “a fine rain resembling silver” which fell all over the city of Rome despite there not being a cloud in the sky and the day being bright. Cassius Dio writes that he himself didn’t witness it falling but came upon it on the ground shortly after. Using three bronze coins, he collected some of this mysterious residue for study. According to his report, the substance remained for three days but had disappeared by the fourth day.

2. Flaming Shield AD 776

At a time when a great part of modern-day Europe was known as Francia (or Kingdom of the Franks), Sigiburg in what is now modern-day Dortmund was being attacked by battalions of Saxon soldiers. As this attack progressed, however, a bizarre object appeared in the skies overhead. It was “the likeness of two large flaming shields reddish in color” and appeared to remain “floating” in the skies above them. So frightened was the advancing Saxon army that they immediately turned around, giving up their siege of Sigiburg and retreating away to safety.The account is recorded in detail in the Annales Laurissenses maiores—Latin annals which record much of the history of the region from AD 741 AD to 829. Although the author is ultimately unknown, it is widely believed that writers of the time would record events as they happened, which were then compiled at a later date into the finished work.

1. Magonia AD 816

Another recording of a bizarre aerial sighting from Francia occurred in AD 816 in what is now modern-day Lyon and was written about by Agobard of Lyon in his book De Grandine et Tonitruis. Agobard would write of his experience with Magonia, a realm in the clouds where “aerial sailors” and their airborne ships reside and sometimes come from. It is an interesting claim. According to the writings, three men and a woman had fallen to the ground from these aerial ships and were set upon by the townsfolk until Agobard intervened and prevented their certain deaths. It doesn’t state what happened to the four aerial sailors after this, however.The mythical Magonia and its origins are said to go back to Agobard’s writings. In more modern times, respected UFO researcher Jacques Vallee explored the subject in his book, Passport to Magonia, which looked at alleged UFO accounts in the distant past.

U.I.P SUMMARY

The aliens have been watching us for a very very long time, but why are they here and why are the watching us and where do they come from? Hopefully soon we will one day get the answers to all of these questions, but in the meantime we just have to keep our eyes to the skies above us people!

MWV