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Crop Circles
"Making the world a more interesting place." -- motto of England's circle-makers Spoiler Warning: If you find it spoils your sense of wonder to know how movie special effects are done, or to understand the technique behind stage magic: hit the GO BACK button now! On the other hand, if Santa Claus retains a certain magic for you, even knowing who he really is, read on. I'm about to reveal the secret behind one of those widely-misunderstood, so-called paranormal phenomena: crop circles. Yes, they're magical. They're wonderful. They're beautiful! I love them. But not because I think they're made by aliens or some mysterious supernatural force. I believe in both of those as well, mind you, but I don't see why aliens would waste time doodling graffiti in wheat-fields on some boring out-of-the-way planet. Of course, I don't know why we wear T-shirts with other people's logos on them, or draw graffiti on beautiful natural wonders like sandstone arches, so you never know. I've never gotten to see a bona-fide crop circle. The closest I've come to one is the Goddess maze on the lawn at Bryn Mawr College. By the time I'd spiralled into the center and sat down, I felt a profound sense of the sacred, knowing full well that the maze was human-made. So I don't doubt that some people feel "vibrations" from crop circles. What amazes me about crop circles is their construction and their appearance. Computers help, of course. The advent of fractals and graphics programs makes it immensely easier to map out complex designs and prepare a step-by-step plan for constructing them quickly with a compass and line segments (surveyors tape, boards, paint rollers) on a large scale. Nevertheless, it all comes down to a group of nutty people sneaking out at night with very basic equipment, making gigantic and artistically elegant patterns on fields in the remote countryside without getting caught. Knowing how they do it makes me more amazed, not less. Crop circle making is a very unusual art form, much like ice sculpture, that requires a great deal of work and plain-old speed, because the artwork won't last. Also, it's a form of art that's an interaction with the natural landscape, which appeals to me. I feel a little bad for the farmers, mind you. Well, without further ado, I should send you off to the crop circle maker website to see for yourself. These guys have conventions and meetings. They have videos of making circles. Heck, Hello Kitty and Microsoft have hired them to make circles as unusual promotions, and National Geographic has done a special on them. I'm sorry to spoil the magic for those who want aliens, but you can't really say that these people are normal, right? Don't miss the "Exhibit A" section -- that's their photo gallery index. |
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| Beginners Guide to Making Crop Circles
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