Guest Author - Linda J.Paul

When did the first crop circle appear?

Well, the earliest recorded crop circle was documented as having been found in Holland in the year 1590. Reports of strange patterns in crop fields in America, Australia and Europe cropped up (pardon the pun), from time to time after that first recorded circle, but, the mystery and current popularity of crop circles truly started in southern England in the late 1970 s. There have been tales handed down through family generations of unexplained markings appearing in the crops. In fact, stories of magic circles and fairy rings are a big part of Celtic myths and legends.

Theories have abounded as to the formation of crop circles, including vortices, whirlwinds, chemicals, trampling by animals, to demons and aliens. Almost all of these circle share certain characteristics. They are most commonly formed during the night, and found by unsuspecting farmers in the light of morning. There are no marks of entry or exit in the crop surrounding the circle, the plants appear to have been lightly scorched, as if subjected to a short, but intense burst of heat. This heat softens the stems which form into 90-degree angles, and then re-harden into this new position without damage to the crop. These plants actually continue to grow and to ripen for harvest.

Crop circles have appeared in wheat, barley, oilseed rape also known as canola, rye, oats, flax, peas, potatoes, corn, the rice patties of Japan, wild grass, tops of trees, and even ice.

By the late 1980's, the patterns of these circles became increasingly complex, including double circles, triple circles, sacred geometric patterns, and DNA spirals. From the onset of the 90 s to the current day, these circles seem to be evolving as rapidly as we, as human beings seem to be.

As these symbols became more and more advanced, including interlocking, and hieroglyphic type patterns, some recorded to be almost 500 ft long, the interest in crop circles increased and curiosity was peaked. England was still the leader in the occurrences of crop circle phenomenon, with several incidents occurring every night. But circles were now being reported in Germany, Australia, Peru, Japan, Canada, Siberia, Norway, and the U.S.

The plants were lain down in a clockwise direction in the earlier circles, and in the later circles, it was lain counter-clockwise, and in some circles the plants have even been interwoven. Intricate spiral and sweeping patterns which catch the light from above create the effect of shading. Some of the newest ones appear to have three dimensionality, with cubes and pyramids that pop out of the pattern when seen from above.

There are many themes appearing within the circles including solar systems, fractal, mathematical, geometrical, runic, Hieroglyphic, and symbolic patterns which seem to resonate to the core of the each of us on an individual level. This symbolism has not only caught the attention of the scientific community, but also the indigenous people from many tribes, including the Hopi and the aborigines.

Gerald Hawkins, former chair of the astronomy department at Boston University, discovered that crop circle measurements also correspond to the ratios of the diatonic scale, or the whole number ratios that determine a scale of musical notes. Crop circles also demonstrate mathematical proportions similar to the Golden Mean, the ratio that is ever present in the precise pattern of growth in all thins from shells, to the human body, to the galaxies themselves.

The electromagnetic field in some crop circles interferes with many devices, including compasses with have a difficult time locating north, cameras and cell phones whose batteries are instantly drained, and equipment in aircraft flying above the formations. Some circles have demonstrated a background radiation of up to 300% above normal, radio frequencies have been known to fall dramatically or rise sharply within a circle, and farm animals avoided the area or became agitated hours before the materialization of a formation.

Surprisingly enough, given the number of circles in existence, there have only been a few dozen reported eyewitness accounts of a crop circle being formed. The common theme in these reports include balls of light in the sky, strange sounds, and seeing portions of crop suddenly flatten to the ground. It would seem to be an invisible force, which appears very quickly even in the calmest of conditions, and instantly flattens the crop to the ground, yet with little damage done to the crop. Two eyewitnesses, a farmer in Romania, and a farmer s son in the Netherlands describe similar phenomena, whistling sounds, crackling noise, wind and balls of light.

Regardless of the who, why and what, the crop circles are continuing to appear, in the sand in Egypt, the snow in Turkey, barley in Czechoslovakia, in wheat fields in Ohio, in rice patties in Japan, and even in oats outside of the city limits of New York City.

The designs are getting bigger and more beautiful, including galaxies, crescents, Sanskrit letters, double helixes, asteroid belts, spiral nebulae, and moon phases.

No matter how they are being created, by whom, and for what, they touch us in a way that unites us, resonates deeply within our souls, wakes us up to the beauty of the world around us, and brings awe, wonder, and excitement back into our lives. We live in an age where we can watch the videos, see the images both in books and on our computers, and visit the crop circle formations, even if we cannot do so in the physical.