CPR-Canada News: Crop Circle Quest, International Database
CPR-CANADA NEWS
The E-News Service of Circles Phenomenon Research Canada
http://www.egroups.com/group/cprcanadanews
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada
August 9, 2000
CROP CIRCLE QUEST, INTERNATIONAL DATABASE
Judy Arndt, who assisted CPR-Canada and the BLT Research Team
with field research of several of the best Canadian formations of 1999
in Alberta and Saskatchewan, has updated her web site containing
these reports, now called Crop Circle Quest:
http://www.cropcirclequest.com
Excellent reports, diagrams and photos available. She is also working
on the new web site for the BLT Research Team, currently under
construction:
http://www.bltresearch.net
Also, I have added a searchable interface for international crop circle
formations, to the International Crop Circle Reports 2000 page of the
CPR-Canada web site, courtesy of Paul Vigay who runs the International
Crop Circle Database in the UK (thank you!):
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada/intern2000.html
You can also link to this page from the News and Reports and Circle
Phenomena in Canada 2000 pages on the web site.
Paul Anderson
CPR-Canada News: Crop Circles and Magnetism?
CPR-CANADA NEWS
The E-News Service of Circles Phenomenon Research Canada
http://www.egroups.com/group/cprcanadanews
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada
August 9, 2000
CROP CIRCLES AND MAGNETISM?
A couple of news reports just in from the UK regarding a new theory from CP
RI
founder Colin Andrews on the creation of crop circles:
Magnetic 'Solution' To Crop Circle Puzzle
http://news6.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid%5F872000/872142.stm
Wednesday, 9 August, 2000, 14:43 GMT 15:43 UK
Colin Andrews has researched crop circles since the 80s Research
into the appearance of crop circles in summer fields claims the
strange phenomena are caused by the Earth's magnetic field.
Scientist Colin Andrews says 17 years of work has revealed that
about 80% of the formations are man-made.
But he believes that magnetism may account for the rest, which
display a simplicity of form compared with elaborate, beautiful
patterns of the "hoaxes".
Dr Andrews believes a mysterious shift in the magnetic field
gives rise to a current that "electrocutes" the crops forcing
them to lie flat on the ground.
Summertime feature
The known hoaxers, artists who spend hours trampling fields with
footboards attached to a length of rope, say the public does not
believe in scientific explanations.
Crop circles are a regular summertime feature of the UK arable
landscape, particularly in Wiltshire and the West Country where
there are a number of ancient sites.
Designs in the flattened wheat, barley and corn become more
elaborate each year, fuelling the debate over who or what is
responsible for them.
Explanations have ranged from freak weather conditions to alien
visitors. But Dr Andrews, funded by a grant from the
Rockerfeller Institute in the US, believes he is closer to the
truth.
'Natural' creations
He has hired private detectives to track hoaxers and now says he
can rule out 80% of the formations. He claims the less elaborate
designs are the "natural" creations caused by a three-degree
shift in magnetic field lines.
Some claim circles are UFO landing sites Dr Andrews, who plans
to publish his findings later this year, says more work still
needs to be done his theory.
Self-proclaimed hoaxer John Lundberg said no-one would ever
believe a scientific explanation for crop circles because people
want to believe it is something more mysterious. "The public
don't want it explained," he said.
Most mainstream scientists believe the only explanation for crop
circles lies in the footboards of hoaxers.
As a new study claims some crop circles are created by shifts in
the earth's magnetic field, George Bishop, of the Centre for
Crop Circle Studies, expounds on the phenomenon.
According to Dr Colin Andrews, who has studied crop circles for
17 years, about 20% are caused by eddies in the earth's magnetic
field - the rest are man-made. He thinks a mysterious shift in
the electro-magnetic field creates a current that flattens the
crops in its path.
Is it plausible?
"Yes - it's a nice rounded theory," says Mr Bishop. Like Dr
Andrews, he says all but the simplest circles are hoaxes.
The theory could explain why in some circles, microphones and
recording equipment hit interference, he says. Some years ago, a
BBC crew had difficulty recording in a circle.
"If the circles are formed by electro-magnetic eddies, there may
be a residual charge of energy," Mr Bishop says.
But he does not think the new theory is the final word: "It
doesn't explain why often the nodes of the plants have swollen
up to 200 times the original size."
He thinks the currents may work in tandem with other
environmental factors, possibly conducted via water in the air,
such as mist, or in underground water tables.
Are they only in the UK?
No, the circles crop up around the world - in grass as well as
grain fields.
Why so many in Wiltshire, south England?
As an area steeped in the mysteries of the ancients, this is
where the hoaxers are most active, and where the majority of
enthusiasts go circle spotting.
Many more circles around the country and abroad go unseen and
unreported, Mr Bishop says.
"Ninety percent - and in some years, 98% - of the circles in the
UK appear along the aquifer line (a layer of rock able to hold
water), which runs from Dorset to Norfolk."
When do the circles date from?
One of the earliest reports was in Lyon in 815AD, and a late
16th Century woodcut depicts the devil mowing a field into
patterns.
Wiltshire's ancient stone circles - which include Stonehenge and
Avebury - could have been built on the sites of early crop
circles, Mr Bishop says.
What of the other theories - aliens, for example?
Aliens are a modern-day obsession, so not surprisingly the
circles have been attributed to little green men - either as
messages, or the imprint of UFOs landing in the fields.
"People relate crop circles to what is going on around them,
what concerns them," Mr Bishop says.
"People used to think it was witches and fairies; then it was
aliens. Today, people think it might be electro-magnetic
pollution, caused by the proliferation of radio masts and mobile
phones."
And ancient ley lines?
"It may well be that the earth does have these energy lines, and
it may well create some sort of current when these lines
intersect with the magnetic fields."
What about freak weather patterns?
Mini-tornadoes are unlikely to create such intricate and
symmetrical patterns, Mr Bishop says: "We know whirlwinds aren't
static - they travel around."
But this you can guarantee - the circles will crop up again next
summer.
_________________________
CPR-Canada News: New Crop Circles in Ontario
CPR-CANADA NEWS
The E-News Service of Circles Phenomenon Research Canada
http://www.egroups.com/group/cprcanadanews
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada
August 14, 2000
CPR-Canada News: Giant "Forest Heart" in New Caledonia
CPR-CANADA NEWS
The E-News Service of Circles Phenomenon Research Canada
http://www.egroups.com/group/cprcanadanews
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada
August 15, 2000
GIANT "FOREST HEART" IN NEW CALEDONIA
Well, now, something a little different...
I just came across a photo in the latest (July/August) issue of Share Inter
national
magazine (which I do keep tabs on, although I am still uncertain regarding
my
opinions on Benjamin Creme and "Maitreya"). The aerial photo shows a very
large area of forest in New Caledonia (off the coast of Australia) which is
much
lighter in colour than the surrounding forest, and in a distinct, and quite
symmetrical "heart shape" with well-defined edges. It doesn't appear to be
just
clearcutting, as you can still see the trees growing in the heart region (a
lbeit they
look very small!) as well as outside of it. The central part of the heart i
s very
light, almost white. Offhand I don't know what the explanation (if normal)
would
be, except perhaps controlled burning or something?. It had been reported o
n,
apparently, according to the caption with the photo, in the Abend-Zemung
newspaper (Munich). I am trying to locate a copy of that article somewhere
online
if possible. If anyone has any leads on this, please let me know; I think t
his is worth
at least following up on. I believe this was found recently, but I don't ha
ve an exact
date yet. The SI web site doesn't have the photo on it yet (
eintl.org).
Share International is carried on many newstands for those who would like t
o see
the print copy. This reminded me of the "giant forest rings of Canada" I re
ported
on last year:
http://www.geocities.com/cpr-canada/forestreport.html
except with this the shape is much different, and the trees in the affected
region
don't appear to be "missing" (ie. a general lack of vegetation), at least n
ot in the
entire area, but are prominently "discoloured".
Just another mystery to add to a never-ending list...
Paul Anderson
_____________________________
REFERENCES:
1. CPR-Canada News is the e-news service of Circles Phenomenon
Research Canada, an affiliate of Circles Phenomenon Research
International, a leading crop circle investigative organization,
providing periodic e-mail updates with the latest news and reports
on the crop circle phenomenon in Canada and around the world,
as well as information on CPR-Canada-related news and events.
CPR-Canada News is edited by Paul Anderson and published by
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