The Deepening Complexity of Crop Circles: Scientific Research and Urban Legends

by Eltjo Haselhoff

Though they are not just a recent phenomenon, during the past few decades new crop circles have been reported worldwide at the rate of about one per day, creating considerable controversy over their origin and cause. Theoretical experimental physicist Eltjo Haselhoff presents a comprehensive overview of these beautiful and mysterious formations. His research includes a scientific investigation of germination anomalies, the dead fly enigma, peculiar deposits, geometrical ratios, and balls of light. In addition, he reports on the first-person accounts of people who have witnessed their appearance and even ventures into the study of the psychic perspective. Haselhoff comes to some fascinating conclusions in the last chapter, 'Circular Arguments.' After reading this book, you will definitely agree with Conclusion Six: 'Something very strange going on.'

Genres: Science, New Age

150 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2001

Reviews

[aloveiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the destinction of Best Crop Circle Book I've Read is deserved here but still not much of a compliment. I like how the author tries to be even-handed by giving voice to the concerns of the scientific community and to the concerns of the spiritualist, circle-worshipping, paranormality-chasers --no small feat. That being said, the concerns of the signature circle chasers don't deserve to be regarded, so where's the sense in appeasing them? The scientific half of the book is tainted by the paranormal concerns chapter, I cringed extensively, and lost a good lot of the affection I had built for it by reading earlier, more methodical and skeptical chapters. The photographs, though, have an undeniably pleasant aesthetic, wether ye be friend or foe to scientific method.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good coverage of the subject, that doesn't put forth any answers but presents data on the subject, particularly from northern Europe. The author doesn't have a particular ax to grind beyond wanting the subject to be taken seriously as a research subject.