"SIGNS: THE CROP CIRCLE MAKERS" > Page 1, 2
The Gaia
Hypothesis
The Gaia explanation
for crop formations is the "New Age" take on the phenomenon. This
idea, championed by environmentalist James
Lovelock, in essence says that the Earth itself is using its own energy to
create crop formations. "The Earth," he says, "behaves as if it
were a superorganism, made up from all the living things and from their material
environment." It's terra itself, the Gaia Hypothesis says, that is trying
to send us a message, not extraterrestrials.
Again, however, we're left to wonder exactly what that message is. Some have speculated that it's saying, "Hey, stop polluting me" or at least, "Humans, pay more attention to me and find your rightful, respectful place on me." But how are we to glean that interpretation from any of the intricate crop formations we've seen over the years? If it's a message, it's certainly not a clear one.
The mechanism for how the Earth is creating such patterns also is not clear and not provable by any evidence. If the Earth has such an intelligence and such an awareness, why doesn't it just use that energy to zap industrial polluters as they are dumping toxic waste into landfills. That might give us all pause as we're about to drop those candy wrappers on the sidewalk.
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Microwave
or Laser Radiation
Intense microwaves
or lasers aimed at crop fields could flatten the grain and account for many of
the anomalies associated with "genuine" crop formations. But who, how
and why?
The who would have to be a government agency or the military. After all, who else would possess the kind of technology to build and operate such a powerful laser or microwave machine?
The how would have to be, most logically, from a satellite. It is possible that the energy could be directed from a high-flying aircraft, but the task becomes problematic because the plane is always moving. The problem can be solved, as is has with reconnaissance photography, with a computer-driven mirror system. But a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit (an orbit that remains stationary in relation to the rotating Earth) is a better bet.
The why... well, that's always the hardest question, isn't it? It's possible that this laser or microwave device, if it exists, is some kind of satellite-based weapon. The crop formations could merely be whimsical tests of its power and effectiveness. I think we can safely assume that the military would not be trying to send the rest of humanity subtle messages about ecology or man's place in the universe.
The article "Crop Circles: Military Firing with a Microwave Laser Beam Cannon" puts a more conspiratorial spin on the "why": "The military wish to maintain the belief in extraterrestrials and are carrying out psychological warfare tests. They have the means for decoying the observers with false saucers so that the circles will be attributed to extraterrestrials."
In an article for Cosmic Conspiracies, Tom Sutter suggests that crop formations might be caused by microwave radiation alright, but not from the military. He points the finger of blame at the extraterrestrials again, who use a magnetron to create crop formations to explain to us how to build a magnetron. But humans know how to build magnetrons; they're in all our microwave ovens. So what's the point? There's "an overlooked-by-us usage of microwave energies," Sutter says - one that can replace our wasteful, polluting usage of fossil fuels.
They
Are Manmade Hoaxes
Despite the
anomalies, most people think that crop formations are created by humans. Using
clever designs, well-thought-out plans, and simple tools like ropes, poles and
planks of wood, the circle makers venture into the night to practice their art.
Confessed circle makers like John Lundberg
contend that all crop formation are probably manmade. He knows that
highly complex crop formations can be created by a few people in just a few
hours because he's done it. "Essentially, we're artists, and for us the
most important thing that we do is the stuff after the circles are made, which
is all the myth," Lundberg said of his fellow Circlemakers
in a recent article for
MSNBC.com. "It's kind of like a mass-participation artwork. It's like a
mind virus, really. You could say what we're doing is propagating belief
systems. We’re not pranksters. I don’t laugh at the people [who see a higher
meaning in crop circles]. I think it's fantastic that people can go in and say,
'When I went in my leg was hurt, and I come out and it's healed.'"
There's irony in the fact that although Lundberg strongly suggests that he knows crop formations are manmade, he must stop short of confessing that the reason he knows is that he and his cohorts made them. After all, manmade crop circles, seen as performance art by the makers, are vandalism to the farmer, and the circlemakers could be held criminally liable. Even if it weren't a crime, Lundberg still might not confess to the act. He seems to enjoy the mystery of it all.
* * *
Many serious crop formation
researchers will not attach themselves firmly to any of the above theories, and
neither will they dismiss them. For them, many crop formations are probable
hoaxes. But there are also many intriguing formations that seem to bear no sign
of human creation and are distinguished by anomalies
that are not easily explained. For them, crop formations are a continuing,
perplexing and beautiful mystery. 
> Page 1, 2
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