These are geometric patterns, some quite complex, appearing in fields, usually wheat fields
and usually in England. Some believe the circles are messages from alien spacecraft and are
an attempt at communication, using ancient Sumerian symbols. Fact or fiction? Aliens or
hoaxers? Even the scientific community has been brought into the debate and has put forward
theories involving natural forces such as wind, heat or animals. Scientists, for the most
part, however, have avoided mention of aliens. I have to remain sceptical about these
'circles' but I believe my old friend Curmudgeon has a different point of view.
Besom.

Well now, where to start?
Let's begin by stating that, yes, some of these are hoaxed, although the motives of the
hoaxers are (mostly) unfathomable.
Of course, there are the attention-seekers but, almost invariably, their claims are shot
down in flames. (Interestingly, the Daily Mail claimed to have arranged a hoaxed formation
during the 1999 season, and they presented it in a most convincing way - that is, until
you dug a little and found that the formation they were claiming to have financed had been
photographed more than a week before they claimed they had done it!  Still, I suppose they
sold a few extra copies, if only to satisfy those readers who don't mind paying to be told
what they want to hear).
Thus far, the hoaxers have failed to
1.    Produce glyphs without leaving evidence, such as footprints.
2.    Cause the needles of aircraft compasses to gyrate violently when flying over them.
3.    Cause light aircraft to suddenly gain altitude, as if in a thermal. This effect
diminishes over approximately 14 days, regardless of temperature/weather conditions.
4.    Superimpose clockwise 'lays', or 'swirls', of crop on top of anti-clockwise ones.
5.    Produce a complex design in a matter of minutes and in almost total darkness.
6.    Change the molecular structure of the stems of the crop (Photomicrographs
available).
7.    Bend the stems of cereal crops without creasing or crushing them.

It seems to me that most people prefer to believe that these wondrous designs are faked
since, otherwise, they will have to 'think the unthinkable' and, perhaps naturally, that
is just too frightening for most people.

There are many different theories as to their provenance but in the final analysis, no one
yet knows. My own belief, for what little it is worth, is that they are probably
manifestations from a dimension of which we are as yet unaware, and are a sort of gentle
introduction to the existence of such a dimension. But then, as I have said, no one knows.
Finally (for the moment) although Science likes to think that its laws cannot be
contravened, there is nothing new in this.

The French chemist and Acadamecian, Antoine Lavoisier, proclaimed to a breathless assembly "Gentlemen,
there are no stones in the sky; therefore stones cannot fall from the sky." One imagines that this announcement was
probably met with a round of applause: After all, he was a Great Man; he must be right.
As a direct consequence of this pronouncement, virtually every museum in the world consigned its collection of meteorites to the nearest skip (or dumpster, if you're American). This incalculable loss to science was perpetrated on the strength of belief in the opinions of just one man!