111 replies to this topic

[Astral Hillbilly]

Abremelin, they didn't have night vision goggles in the 40's or 50's did they ? How do you explain that away ?

[Ryn]

I say we chalk it up to an conspiracy, that always seems to explain everything. :D

[Oppono Astos]

MrSerendipity, on 29 January 2013 - 05:23 PM, said:

I have watched documentaries in the past in which it was stated that the genetic structure of the flattened wheat was changed and that the stalks weren't snapped just bent. Hoaxers with wooden boards and ropes don't account for this at all.

References for this change of genetic structure?  The blown nodes claims by BLT was questioned in the 1990s when the same effects were evident in natural and man-made circles, and indeed in natural lodged crop.

[Rafterman]

Astral Hillbilly, on 29 January 2013 - 05:27 PM, said:

Abremelin, they didn't have night vision goggles in the 40's or 50's did they ? How do you explain that away ?

Ever heard of a full moon?

[CRIPTIC CHAMELEON]

Rafterman, on 29 January 2013 - 07:24 PM, said:

Ever heard of a full moon?

My mate gives you a full moon every time he's thrown out the pub.

[Professor Buzzkill]

I agree that the majority of circles must have been made by hoaxers. But who were the first hoaxers imitating?

Also the first recorded crop circle in england was 1678. If this was a hoax, what purpose did it serve?

[laver]

Professor Buzzkill, on 29 January 2013 - 08:24 PM, said:

I agree that the majority of circles must have been made by hoaxers. But who were the first hoaxers imitating?

Also the first recorded crop circle in england was 1678. If this was a hoax, what purpose did it serve?

In those far off times the inexplicable was the work of the 'devil', after all the church and the bible had all the answers? In Britain today most people do not accept that idea.

[NemoMysterio]

Merc14, on 29 January 2013 - 03:19 PM, said:

How about the local physics club having a bit of fun on a Saturday night?  Does that make it more plausible for you?

What if it is not a Saturday night?

[Zaphod222]

IŽd put my money on about 90% being man-made. The rest due to some natural phenomena, but certainly not ETs playing around in wheat fields.... that ideao is just too idiotic.

[bison]

So, extraterrestrial's thinking and behavior has to be exactly like ours? Does that seem likely? I can imagine a number of reasons why crop circles could be their preferred method of communication with us. It could be a subtle and non-threatening way of  introducing themselves to us. Maybe they know something from past experience with contacting naive planets like ours. They may have learned that the direct approach; swooping in with an intimidating show of vastly superior technology, is about the worst thing they could do. Human history is full of examples of how destructive contact between a technically advanced civilization and a relatively primitive one can be, for the latter.

[Elysiumfire]

Unfortunately, the article was written in a 'tongue-in-cheek' manner, and didn't allow for any form of professional investigation to shine through, probably because there was no investigation undertaken, just a bit of reportage to fill some rag space. Then again, the subject of crop circles lends itself quite well to ridicule and just like any other subject of 'mystery', sceptics of all types ensure the waters remain muddy and disturbed, rather than allow things to settle and become clear. Sceptics have their own stances and beliefs to maintain, and defend them vigorously from positions of self-appointed heights of 'knowing'.

I too, am a sceptic of most claims for mysteries, but I am also a realist, and I am quite aware that science, at its current level, cannot answer some of the most funadmental questions about ourselves or about our world. On the subject of crop circles, for many sceptics the mystery as been revealed as nothing more than human pranksters or nocturnal artists, yet Doug and Dave never made an intricate design, certainly not on a scale of that of many formations that have appeared over the years. Their names are used simply to muddy the waters, to create doubt, other circle designers have claimed ownership and ran the gauntlet of prosecution for their artistry, but even so, they cannot lay claim to all the circles that have appeared.

My own personal opinion is that they are all man-made, having gone from simplistic circles to very complex and very large designs, like a carefully crafted (no pun intended) cottage industry to bring in the tourists, with the techniques used to make the circles becoming more elaborate than the use of boards and ropes. Certain circles would have needed quite serious research before they were made, and for the size and scale, and the fact that they are made in the hours of near darkness in summer, GPS would also be used. Here in England we are pretty good at our gardening, and I would not be surprised if a number of agricultural students through the years had played a part in creating them. Then again, there is that old 'chestnut' question...what's more likely? Alien visitors doing their own bit of gardening or human artistry upon our landscape? The question has never been fully answered, but one chooses a side following one's own predilection and mindset.

I have no problem in people believing in subjects that I personally find absurd, just as long as they are not in positions where they making decisions that affect other people's lives. it is one reason why state and religion must always remain separate, so that absurdity doesn't become common place politic.

[Eldorado]

I reckon I'd ''shoot to kill' any 'aliens' who tried to fancy-up a field I'd been nursing all year.   (only saying)

[_Only]

Eldorado, on 30 January 2013 - 02:10 AM, said:

I reckon I'd ''shoot to kill' any 'aliens' who tried to fancy-up a field I'd been nursing all year.   (only saying)

I imagine if donteatus posted this, and felt right at home.

[IamLegend]

It's been proven that crop circles can be completed swiftly and efficiently. At least using some fairly modern technology. However, I think it's in the realm of possibility that one day it's discovered that non-complex crop circles have something to do with Earth's magnetic energy, or some other natural phenomenon. By simple crop circles I mean literally just circles.

[Abramelin]

Astral Hillbilly, on 29 January 2013 - 05:27 PM, said:

Abremelin, they didn't have night vision goggles in the 40's or 50's did they ? How do you explain that away ?

Have you watched those black and white photos? From the 4 I posted the links of only one looks kind of elaborate, whlle the others are mere circles. I don't even think they are crop circles. And like Rafterman said, if they are, they could have been made during a full moon.