Prompt Cast
The History and Controversy of Crop Circles
TLDR Crop circles, which have been associated with conspiracy theories and disinformation, have a long history dating back to the 16th century. While some crop circles have been proven to be hoaxes, there are still unexplained phenomena surrounding them, leading to ongoing debate and analysis.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Crop circles are man-made art forms that often involve impressive Euclidean geometry, with some suggesting that they are the most scientific and science-based art there is.
04:25
Crop circles have been associated with conspiracy theories and disinformation, but the earliest evidence of crop circles dates back to the 16th century and a woodcut from the 17th century, although these examples are not true crop circles as they are cut rather than laid down.
08:54
Crop circles were first created as a hoax in 1978 by two drunk friends in England, and they gained popularity and complexity throughout the 80s and 90s, with some people believing they were signs from aliens.
13:22
Gerald S. Hawkins, a retired astronomer, used his math skills to analyze crop circles and claimed to have discovered a new kind of Euclidean geometry in them, suggesting the involvement of extraterrestrial beings, but his findings have been widely challenged and not recognized in academic math forums.
17:42
Crop circles are often localized in areas where Dave and Doug lived, but some theories suggest that they are alien calling cards or the result of plasma vortexes, and there is a playful back-and-forth between experts and crop circle makers.
22:18
Crop circles have been theorized to be the result of downed drafts, swirling ring winds called vortices, plasma vortexes, electromagnetic radiation, and even microwave energy.
26:42
Using a magnetron and microwaves, it is possible for humans to create crop circles by heating up the crops and causing them to expand and fall over, and this theory is supported by evidence such as the absence of footprints and the confession of two men who claimed to have made crop circles using ropes and planks.
31:17
Two men and one of their wives confessed to making crop circles and showed the world how to do it on Good Morning America, inspiring others to create their own crop circles using methods such as using a magnetron or a rope and plank.
35:23
Crop circles are often analyzed using various methods, such as measuring soil and using X-ray diffraction analysis and electromagnetic energy readings, and while some crop circles have been proven to be hoaxes, there is still a percentage that cannot be explained.
40:14
The hosts discuss different sayings from different countries that allude to experts neglecting their field of expertise once they get home.
Categories:
Society & Culture
