Of all the extraterrestrial folklore out there, one of the most famous legends — and most aesthetically pleasing — are crop circles.
These phenomena crop up in fields of grain all over the world. They are known for their striking geometric perfection and come in swirling loops, interlocking circles, and other spacey-looking forms.
But what they mean? No one knows. However, the real question is, where do they really come from? Like the disappearance of the Roanoke colony, no one knows the answer for sure.
Some people like to think it's aliens leaving some kind of interstellar graffiti on our planet, but many others are skeptical. After all, we know it's possible for people to create large-scale images on the ground, even if they can't see what they're doing. But then the question remains: Why?
Many people have attempted to crack the code of crop circles, to varying success. And some have decided that, whether they're made by aliens or humans, they look pretty cool. Some have even made some crop circles of their own!
What do you think causes crop circles? Aliens? Bored farmers? Bored aliens? Let us know in the comments below!
Crop circles have appeared all over the world. Typically, they're said to form at night, and the plants are flattened — not cut — to create the design.
Crop circle appearances have actually been increasing since the late 1970s, with many of them appearing in the same places each year.
The boom started in 1978 in the English countryside, known for its large, rolling fields.
At first, people were baffled, and all kinds of theories were offered up, including humans and aliens.
Then in 1991, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, two self-described "pranksters" claimed responsibility.
They said they'd devised a way to flatten grasses and grains into perfect circles using an anchored string and a board of wood, and even demonstrated it for a crowd.
But weird markings and shapes had been appearing in fields prior to the late '70s.
This pamphlet, called The Mowing-Devil, or, Strange News out of Hartford-Shire, is considered by crop circle researchers to be the first recorded crop circle, way back in 1678. It tells of a farmer who says he'd rather the Devil mow his crops than pay someone.
The next morning, he awakes to find his crops cut in such a precise manner "that no mortal man was able to do the like."
While the text doesn't mention any circles, the illustration piqued the interest of researchers.
Other reports from the early 20th century have also been reported, citing circular or spiral shapes of flattened crops.
These marks, though, were generally believed to be the work of lightning or meteors, although amateur astronomer Patrick Moore mentions that the crop circle he saw in 1963 looked artificially made.
Since about 2000, crop circles have become increasingly complex.
Some of them are carefully constructed, hiding mathematical equations within their swooping circles.
Pretty amazing — but not when you consider that technology has also been evolving, allowing for more people to be able to create those kinds of images.
It's not that these designs aren't impressive, it's just that humans can actually create designs like this rather easily.
It just takes a bit of planning. And today, with the advent of drones and GoPros, their vantage point is no longer limited to the ground.
There's also the fact that many of the crop circles appear near populated areas. After all, if you're going to make strange markings in a field at night, do you really want to go very far from home?
If humans are making them, it seems to be for pure amusement. But some people think there's someone else behind these strange phenomena.
Namely, extraterrestrial visitors. The fact that many crop circles have appeared near and around Stonehenge (also considered by some to be an alien construction) fuels this theory.
And it's not just aliens, but a host of other supernatural beings who have been credited with the crop circles.
But if it's aliens, no one can say why they're stamping these designs into our planet. But for the most part, it's believed these designs are made by humans.
And, in a way, maybe it's the same motives as our tagging aliens: just a fun way to say, "We've been here!"
And in case you're wondering, the flattening action can damage some crops, and sometimes seeds get crushed or deformed. That's not always the case, though. People are still researching what creating these symbols in this method is really doing.
Lately, though, some companies have been cashing in on the phenomenon.
Some companies, particularly those near airfields, have commissioned crop circles in nearby fields as a form of organic billboard.
There are also crop circle contests held in various places throughout the world, where people compete to create the best crop circles.
So what do you think? Is it bored humans? Or bored aliens? Or something else entirely?
Let us know what you think in the comments and SHARE with your friends to start a conversation!
