Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Formation of crop circles 
Name: Akur Srivastava
Status: Other
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
How are crop circles formed? And why do they have such artistic patterns?


Replies:
Although some claim that tiny electrically charged whirlwinds might cause crop circles, and others claim that they are of extra-terrestrial origin, I think the most likely cause is people sneaking around at night. The 1993 James Randi Prize for scientific investigation of "paranormal" phenomena went to Gabor Takacs and Robert Dallos of Hungary, whose students proved that crop circles are quite easy for a careful group of high school students to make (see "The Skeptical Inquirer," Volume 17 Summer 1993 page 360, and Volume 16 Winter 1992 page 136).

The geometry of crop circles has been studied by British astronomer G. S. Hawkins (see "Science News", Vol 141, February 1, 1992, page 76).

Mortis


Click here to return to the Environmental Science

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory