15 YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
During the last fifteen years, scientific research has been carried out on crop circles, mainly in the USA, but also in the Netherlands and other places. This research has brought astonishing results, and among other findings, the researchers claim to have revealed some of the forces that are involved when crop circles form.
On the basis of the studies of more than 250 formations in nine different countries during these years, the researchers have identified physical, biological and chemical changes to the grain and the soil within the crop formations. These changes have not been found in the control samples from outside the formations.
Based upon these structural findings, one claims to have proven that those crop circles, in which these changes are found, could not have been made by mechanical flattening of the crop by humans. (See the summary further down.)
A good deal of this scientific work, has over the last years been published in different peer reviewed scientific magazines (peer reviewed means that the research resaults has been examined by the magazines). The findings are also made available to teh public at the web site of BLT Research Team Inc.
SOURCES
For more information about scientific crop circles research, the Norwegian Crop Circle Group highly recommends these two sources:
BLT Research Team Inc. (USA)
Ph.D Eltjo Haselhoff (THE NEDERLANDS)
Postal adresses awailable at Addresses on your left hand.
AMATEUR STUDIES FOR 25 YEARS
For a quarter of a century (since the 1980s, i.g.), enthusiastic persons (crop circle researchers and crop circle organisations) have carried out a considerable amount of research on crop circles - research that although it can rarely be characterized as scientific, is nevertheless of great importance - and above all, has contributed to the understanding of the complexity of this fascinating and enigmatic phenomenon.
This work comprises compilations, gatherings and systematizing of various types of information, like geometric surveys, measurements, photographing, filming, gathering of historical data,
interpretation of patterns, registration of effects upon people, personal experiences, etc.
In the same period of time, numerous formations have been systematically photographed and filmed on the ground and from the air. In addition, fields have been surveyed by video cameras (infrared as well as normal) during day and night time.
This work has resulted in a substantial amount of documentation made available in books, articles, videos, photographs, etc.
(See our links: Litterature and Videos.)
SUMMARY
of the Plant & Soil Results of the
BLT Research
Team Inc. USA
The Norwegian Crop Circle Group presents a brief summary of the major scientific findings reported to-date, a collaboration with N. Talbott, BLT Research Team Inc.
SOURCES
- 3 published scientific papers [1994, 1995, 1999] by the
BLT Research Team Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- The BLT website: www.bltresearch.com
- Laboratory Reports, The BLT Research Team Inc.
- "Crop Circles - The Research", a video documentary by
Bert Janssen, the Netherlands (with an interview with
Nancy Talbott, BLT Res. Team, Inc.)
Scientific evidence of three known energies involved in the creation of crop circles:
- microwave radiation,
- strong magnetic fields &
- unusual electrical pulses.
The BLT Research Team, Inc. (begun in the early 1990s by John Burke, michigan biophysicist W. C. Levengood, and Nancy Talbott) has examined thousands of plants and soils from more than 250 crop circles in nine different countries. The samples, taken from within the flattened-crop areas, are compared to plant and soil controls, taken at various distances outside the flattened areas. Three papers have been published in the scientific literature discussing the crop circle results and, according to BLT President, Nancy Talbott, a fourth paper will be published soon. Several hundred laboratory reports, on individual cases in various counries, have also been produced.
The three published papers present evidence for the involvement of three different types of energy involved in the creation of crop circles:
1 A heating agency, probably MICROWAVES
2 Strong MAGENTIC fields
3 Unusual ELECTRICAL pulses
1 MICROWAVES The evidence for the presence of microwaves is found in the plant stem nodes. The moisture and nutrients which sustain the plant is carried up through the hollow plant stem - this moisture is more abundant at the plant stem nodes. In crop circle plants massively stretched, elongated apical nodes (1st node beneath the seed-head) are regularly found, as are expulsion cavities (holes blown out at the nodes, usually the lower nodes on the plant stem).
Both effects are thought to be the result of the plant-stem's internal moisture being exposed to intense heat, and thus turning to steam. This steam escapes from the uppermost nodes (the most elastic fibers) by stretching the node. In nodes further down the plant stem (where the external tissues are too tough to expand) holes are blown out as the steam pressure increases - much like you would observe if an egg were placed in a microwave oven for too long a period of time.
Another indicator of the presence of intense heating is the bending of the plant stems - both at the base of the plant, as it comes out of the earth, and at the nodes along the plant stems, where 90 degree bending is sometimes observed in the flattened crop.
Several years ago The BLT Team discovered that a well-known law in physics, The Beer-Lambert Principle (which describes the absorption of electromagnetic energy by matter), could be applied to some crop circle cases. Measuring apical node elongation (stretching of the 1st node beneath the seed-head), it was found that the degree of stretching of the nodes decreased as a function of distance away from the center of a circular formation. And, further, that this decrease in node length was linear, in agreement with the Beer-Lambert Principle.
In another case it was found that the Beer-Lambert Principle again applied, but this time in standing crop outside the formation. The apical node-length was greatest in the standing crop at the perimeter of the circle, but decreased linearly as we sampled farther and farther away from the formation out into the field of standing plants. Obviously, mechanical flattening of the plants cannot account for this result.
And yet another indicator of the presence of microwave radiation is the laboratory-documented effects on the seeds in crop circle plants. When crop circles occur in young, relatively immature plants, the seed is quite seriously affected: When these seeds are germinated they sometimes fail to produce seedlings at all. In other cases (when the seeds are a little more mature): seedlings do germinate, but they are lacking in vigor and normal growth characteristics and will not survive in the field. Both of these effects on the seeds are related to over-exposure to harmful radiation, most likely microwaves.
2 STRONG MAGENTIC FIELDS Another discovery by The BLT Team which indicates the presence of a heating agency also demonstrates the presence of strong magnetic fields present at the time the formation occurred. Since 1993 (when routine soil sampling at crop circle sites was instituted) hundreds of tiny, 10-50 micron diameter magnetized and spherical particles of pure iron have been found in the soils. Usually these tiny magnetite particles are found clustered around the edges of geometrically circular formations - but they are also regularly found to be deposited linearly along multiple radial sampling lines.
The BLT hypothesis is that tiny particles of meteoric dust (which are filtering to earth all the time as meteors break up in the upper atmosphere) get drawn into the crop circle energy system (thought perhaps to be a thermodynamically unstable atmospheric plasma system) by the strong magnetic fields known to be associated with plasmas. Once drawn into the descending plasma vortex, the iron particles are heated up by microwaves (also known to be associated with plasma systems) and become molten - and thus take on spherical shape as they descend toward the earth in this molten form.
- The fact that these tiny particles are found to be magnetic reveals that they were formed in a magnetic field.
- The fact that they are spherical means they had to have been formed while molten.
- The finding that these magnetite particles are often distributed linearly indicates an evenly-rotating delivery system above the crop surface - possibly Levengood's atmospheric plasma vortex system.
3 UNUSUAL ELECTRICAL PULSES The presence of highly unusual electrical pulses in the crop circle formation process has been clearly demonstrated by The BLT Team also. When crop circles form in mature plants - plants in which the seeds are both present and fully formed - it was discovered that these seeds produced amazing germination results:
(a) a 4-5 times increase in growth rate
(b) increased yield, and
(c) increased tolerance to plant stressors (lack of water
and/or sunlight)
The scientists Levengood and Burke were eventually able to replicate this result by exposing normal (non-crop-circle) seeds to precise electrical pulses in equipment they built. Normal seeds treated in this manner not only grow much faster than normal, they also produce greater yield (up to 35% increase) and can tolerate lack of water and/or sunlight for extended periods of time.
A number of other crop circle plant/soil anomalies have been carefully documented by The BLT Research Team Inc. A recently completed X-ray diffraction study (which examined specific clay minerals in crop circle soils) found increased ordering of the crystalline structure of the illite/smectites in crop circle soils. Several new scientists are now working with The BLT Research Team and multiple new examination are on-going. For complete details see the BLT web-site: http://www.bltresearch.com/xrd.html.
CONCLUSIONS: The BLT Research Team Inc. has carried out several control studies, in which they have flattened plants by the various methods claimed to have been used by hoaxers, and then sampled and evaluated the plants and soils in their laboratory with their standard testing methods. The results from these control studies have been compared to the results obtained from plants and soils from crop circles in eight different countries over a 12-year period.
None of the plant/soil changes outlined above were found in any of the BLT-run control studies, ruling out mechanical or manual flattening of plants as an explanation for the crop circle phenomenon.
Further, the majority (90%+) of sampled crop circles from around the world over the last 12 years were found to exhibit the plant/soil abnormalities described above - and thus are felt to demonstrate the effects of the genuine phenomenon.
The most usual
Indications that the
phenomenon is NOT
human made
● The occurrence of elongated nodes.
● The occurence of nodes with expulsion cavities.
● A systematic variation in node length (the Beer-Lambert principle); node length decreasing linearly away from the centre in the circles.
● Biological changes in the seed grain's germination ability.
● Occurence of spherical, magnetized iron particles, regularly found to be deposited linearly along multiple radial sampling lines.
● Increased ordering of the crystalline structure of the illite/smectites in the crop circle soils (in clay minerals).
● Deposits of abnormal substances - for instance the occurrence of silicon dioxide (SiO2) of an extrem purity that does not occur naturally on earth. And the high deposits of magnesium oxide. Magnesium oxide occur naturally only in the upper atmosphere. After falling to the ground, it leaves in the soil a concentration of 0,4 milligram magnesium oxide per gram of soil. In the soil within crop circles, concentrations from 20 – 250 mg have been found.
● Mobile phones, cameras, videocamaeras and other electric equipment are reported to fail in crop circles, while they function normally in the standing crop outside the formations.
● The appearance also of tree circles (e.g. former Czech Republic). Thick tree trunks are bent (!) at the base, without being broken.
● The appearance of dead flies, only inside circles. The flies was found dead in a mysterious way with their tongues stuck to the grain. If the cause of death had been for instance pesticides, dead flies would have been found outside the crop circle too, which they weren't.
● Observation of light balls in- and above the crop circles (photographed and videotaped).
The BLT Research Team particularly point to these findings as strong indications to why human activities cannot explain the appearance of crop circles where such anomalities appear.
Scientific evidence, by
physicist Dr. Eltjo Haselhoff, that
Balls of Light
may be involved
when crop circles form
The Dutch physicist Dr. Eltjo Haselhoff has carried out research on crop circles for 14 years. He has, by the use of ordinary experimental physics now shown scientifically that crop circles might be made by what he refers to as light balls or "light sources in the form of a ball".
SOURCE: Research by Dr. Eltjo Haselhof, The Netherlands, presented in his book, magazines and lectures.
HIS BACKGROUND: Eltjo Haselhoff holds a master of science and is a doctor of physics. He also is a specialist in the field of high power laser physics. Dr. Haselhoff has, among other engagements, worked at Los Alamos National Laboratories, USA for one year, as a specialist on free electron lasers and high current electron beam accelerators.
RESEARCH: Haselhoff’s research on crop circles has, among other things, looked at:
. uncovering of hidden, complex geometry
. Hawkins theorems
. coincidence
. dehydration
. germination tests
. measuring of node lengths
. electromagnetic radiation tests
. presence of light phenomena - and warmth -
in connection with the occurrence of crop circles
LATEST PROJECT: His latest research project, on the balls of light as a creative source in the forming of crop circles, has been admitted in the scientific publication Physiologia Plantarum, a publication that rejects 95% of all incoming articles. The journal spent half a year examining his research material.
RESULTS: Through his research he has found (like the BLT Research Team has earlier stated) that the node length increase is greatest in the centre of the formations, and gradually decreases towards the periphery. An example: This reduction rate is so perfect, that it can be compared to the way the light reduces as one moves away from the centre of a single light source coming from above (very simply explained). This therefore corresponds perfectly with established laws of physics, the so called Beer-Lambert principle.
CONCLUSIONS: Dr. Haselhoff concludes that this principle - that corresponds with the revealed node lenght decrease found in great many crop formations - shows that these crop circles might be created by a light source coming from above.
RESEARCH RAPPORT: Haselhoff did publish his work as a comment on BLT’s (Dr. Levengood and Nancy Talbotts) earlier research report on the same subject, and calls his own rapport "Opinions and comments on Levengood WC, Talbott NP (1999) Dispersion of energies in worldwide crop formations". (Physiologia Plantarum III: 123 – 125.)
Here Dr. Haselhoff offers a summing up of the important findings of his paper, in layman’s terms.
For the very first time, scientific evidence is presented, that shows some crop circles might be formed by balls of light.
-------- More info here --------
Photos of plant / soil
Abnormalities
found in crop circles
by
BLT Research
Team Inc.
USA
MISSING SEEDS
Crop circle plant (on right)
contains no seeds within plant
glumes.
Photo: © BLT, Inc
SEEDS STUNTED & DEHYDRATED
Seeds from crop circle (on right)
in maize are dehydrated and
weigh less than controls.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
NODE ELONGATION IN WHEAT
An extreme case here (200%+)
from a partially randomly-
downed crop circle in Maryland,
USA.
Photo: © BLT, Inc
CONTROLS FROM SAME
CIRCLE IN MARYLAND, USA
Photo: © BLT, Inc
NEW PLANT ABNORMALITY
A massive spiralling and
twisting of the somatic (non-
reproductive) tissues at the
base of the seed-head, first
seen in England in 1999
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
ANOTHER ABNORMALITY
According to W.C. Levengood,
this type of plant abnormality
indicates exposure of the plant
to harmful radiation at a very
early stage of development.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
EXPULSION CAVITIES (Barley)
The plant stem nodes have
literally exploded, due to
exposure to intense heat.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
BENDING OF THE STEMS
Marked bending at the base of
conola/oilseed rape plants -
which are known to break, not
bend, when mechanically
flattened.
(picture above and underneath)
Photo: © Janet Ossebaard
BENDING OF OILSEED STEMS
(another sample from the crop
circle above)
Photo: © Janet Ossebaard
NON-GEOMETRIC EVENTS
The same changes documented
in plants and soils sampled
from "geometric" crop
formations are also found in
many areas of non geometri-
cally flattened crop.
(picture above and underneath)
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
NON-GEOMETRIC EVENT
Plants in some of these non-
geometric events have shown
node-length increases in
excess of 200 %.
Photo: © BLT, Inc
MAGNETIC SPHERES IN SOILS
Photomicrograph (100 X) of
[photographed through a microscope]
10-40 micron diameter,
spherical, magnetic iron
particles of the type regularly
found in crop circle soils. EDS
reveals these spheres to be
pure iron; the fact that they are
magnetized reveals they were
formed in a magnetic field.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
MELTED IRON IN SOILS
Photomicrograph (100 X) of soil
chunk from a crop circle showing
traces of melted magnetic
material adhering to soil grains.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
BALL OF LIGHT
Small semi-transparent
sphere, typical of one type of
light anomaly frequently seen
in and near crop circles.
(1995-Devizes, UK)
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
BEER-LAMBERT PRINCIPLE
In some crop circles, apical (1st
node beneath seed-head) node
stretching has been found to
decrease linearly away from a
point source - in agreement
with this well-known law in
physics which describes the
absorption of electromagnetic
energy by matter.
Photo: © BLT, Inc.
PLEASE OBSERVE:
The samples above have
been selected in this brief
summary to visually
illustrate some of the
numerous research
projects that are ongoing.
They do not give a
quantitatively correct
summary of the findings.
For a complete under-
standing of the research,
we recommend that you
study these pictures
together with the research
reports that you’ll find
by following the links in
the text.
Photo:
© DCCCS
Eltjo H. Haselhoff
MSc, PhD
Photo:
© DCCCS
Frontier Science Award
2001
In November 2001
Haselhoff received a
national price (above),
referred to in his latest
book, (below) for his
research on crop circles
Photo: © DCCCS
The Deepening Complexity
of Crop Circles - Scientific
Research & Urban Legends