Guide Note

Geometric formations made by compressing the plant life in fields are known as crop circles. These formations are usually of unknown origin and are frequently made at night. Crop circles first gained news media attention in the late 1970s, although documented appearances go back at least as far as the 17th century.¹

Fast Facts

1. Size: A few feet across to larger than a football field²
2. Longest: 4,100 feet³
3. Largest: 800 feet across³
4. More than 200 created every year³
5. Found in locations all over the globe
6. About 2/3 appear in Wiltshire, England³
7. Tend to form during warm weather months³
8. Many crop circles are not circular

Numerous theories attempt to explain the appearance of crop circles, including creation by hoaxers, extraterrestrials or weather abnormalities. Believers in non-human origination claim many of the circles are too complex to be created by human beings, especially in the span of one night. They also point to discoveries of energy anomalies in and around the circles as evidence of non human origin.³

Skeptics note that many crop circles deemed by experts to be non-human creations were actually known hoaxes, suggesting that there may not be reliable criteria for distinguishing between the two. Human playfulness is also considered the most likely explanation for the increasing complexity of the circle designs over time.²