Crop circles become increasingly more high-tech

Crop circles, elaborate designs that are etched into farmlands that are a thing of beauty when viewed from the air have long been determined to be the work of pranksters. A crop circle is usually the result of conspiring gentlemen over a few drinks in a pub, who go out to the nearby farmlands and carve out designs with the help of boards. In today's world, crop circle pranksters are becoming more and more high tech, resulting in more intricate and beautiful designs. 
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - As reported in Physics World, Richard Taylor, director of the Materials Science Institute at the University of Oregon says that "Crop-circle artists are not going to give up their secrets easily.

"This summer, unknown artists will venture into the countryside close to your homes and carry out their craft, safe in the knowledge that they are continuing the legacy of the most science-oriented art movement in history."

While there may be a few out there who insist that these circles are signs from extraterrestrials, Taylor says the technology behind the global crop-circle phenomenon is deserving of admiration. The more recent designs are more complex than ever, with some featuring up to 2,000 different shapes.

Mathematical analysis has revealed the use of construction lines that are used to create the patterns. At one time, crop-circlers used ropes, planks of wood and bar stools, high tech has taken over: GPS and lasers have since entered the fray.

By far the most innovative modern technique involves using microwaves to force corn stalks to fall over and cool horizontally. One research team claims to have reproduced damage inflicted on crops by using a handheld magnetron ripped from a microwave ovens and a 12V battery.

The microwave technique could explain the speed and efficiency of the artists and the incredible detail that some crop circles exhibit, Taylor says.

Crop circles have confounded farmers and scientists alike since they were first recorded in the 17th century, and the phenomenon is growing alongside advances in technology.

Matin Durrani, Editor of Physics World, said: "It may seem odd for a physicist such as Taylor to be studying crop circles, but then he is merely trying to act like any good scientist - examining the evidence for the design and construction of crop circles without getting carried away by the sideshow of UFOs, hoaxes and aliens."