# The Chibolton crop circles: elaborate hoax, or alien contact? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 1, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887 "2002-08-01T16:05:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/21 "2002-08-02T02:29:29Z")
A skeptical view: [http://www.seti.org/general/ao\_message\_crop.html](http://www.seti.org/general/ao_message_crop.html) Make your own crop circle: [http://www.circlemakers.org/perpetrators.html](http://www.circlemakers.org/perpetrators.html) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/22 "2002-08-02T02:34:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*And then there is the theory that the aliens who have come to our planet are simply juveniles, who say > > “Whoa, Dude!. These guys are so stupid. Let’s F\*\*\* with 'em.” > > Well, it could have happened. > > I know that if I were an alien, I’d love playing tricks on some lower order life form that thinks it’s hot shit. 🆒 \*\* I’m with you on this. I think it’s aliens, just making these things for shits and giggles. They probably cloak their ships and watch the big fuss while pissing themselves laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/23 "2002-08-02T03:37:56Z")
[The Truth is out there.](http://www.rocketdownload.com/Details/Stra/3064.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/24 "2002-08-02T12:45:38Z")
I can imagine one alien talking to the other: 1st Alien: “Hey, while we’re here stomping their food supply, should we maybe say hello or something?” 2nd Alien: “Naw, this more fun! It’s sort of like the long human tradition of ringing the doorbell and running! They’ll understand.” 1st Alien: “We came ALL THIS WAY and all we’re going to do is fuck with their food? Not even an anal probe or two?” 2nd Alien: “What is it with you and anal probes… I think we’ve reached the limits of what we can learn by sticking things up human’s asses. And why did you mutilate those cattle? What’s up with that?” 1st Alien: “Hey, I just don’t like cattle, OK?” ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/25 "2002-08-02T12:55:28Z")
Fox (surprisingly) had a show on the paranormal that included crop circles, and had a live demonstration of it: three guys who went into a farmers field in the night, and made a fairly detailed glyph (with the farmer’s knowledge). Fox filmed it by putting a camera on a crane boom that took a picture with a strobe light every minute. The result was neatly condensed film of three guys making a complex glyph in a couple hours. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/26 "2002-08-02T12:56:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Truth Seeker \* > \*\*[The Truth is out there.](http://www.rocketdownload.com/Details/Stra/3064.htm) \*\* But the lies are right here, inside your head. No, I’m not going to cite. I just made that up myself, since you ask. \ ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/27 "2002-08-02T14:06:22Z")
Just for the record, I thought I’d add my 2p (not cents cos I’m British) a. Just because things can be done by people, doesn’t mean that people are always responsible. I could probably make a birds nest given time, but that doesn’t mean that birds aren’t responsible for making those things you see in trees! b. It isn’t a straightforward issue between aliens and people. There could be a whole range of reasons why such things occur. Given that where I live (SW England) there are hundreds of these, and no one raises an eyebrow anymore, I can’t believe that anyone would waste time making them. After all, if you don’t get recognition, why bother?! I prefer to have an open mind. I think most are made by people, but I can’t really fathom out why… ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/28 "2002-08-02T14:07:49Z")
This would have been MUCH more convincing if it wasn’t done right next door to perfect group of people to be the hoaxsters. Still, it wouldn’t be very convincing. I would put money on the fact that those guys are at the Radar installations are having a good laugh over this one. I hope they videotaped the construction so they can show it in a year or two. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/29 "2002-08-02T14:16:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Martiju \* > \*\* > a. Just because things can be done by people, doesn’t mean that people are always responsible. I could probably make a birds nest given time, but that doesn’t mean that birds aren’t responsible for making those things you see in trees! > \*\* For the birds nest analogy to be accurate, birds would have to be a species only speculated about, and not proven to exist. Also, it would have to be a known fact that many birds nest are in fact made by humans. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/30 "2002-08-02T14:25:00Z")
As I watched morning television this morning, an image of Mel Gibson standing in a crop circle appeared on the screen. Therefore, I think the only possible explanation for crop circles is that Mel Gibson makes them. ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/31 "2002-08-02T14:28:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Martiju \* > \*\*Just for the record, I thought I’d add my 2p (not cents cos I’m British) > I prefer to have an open mind. I think most are made by people, but I can’t really fathom out why… \*\* This very discussion is exactly the reason why. I would love to do a stunt like this personally. It would be a huge laugh to see some design of mine blasted all over the news and then see credulous web sites popping extolling the reasons that **this one** just **has** to be real. If I was gonna bother doing it, I would put a good deal of thought into how I could fool as many gullibles as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/32 "2002-08-02T15:38:25Z")
There are such things as crop circles created by forces of nature (birds, wind, fungi), but they are never as neat and regular as the ones the hoaxers make. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887/33 "2002-08-02T16:15:05Z")
Let’s go now to the floor of the US Senate: Senator George V. Voinovich: I’d like to attach a ride to the appropriations bill: Two-thirds of the contry’s GNP over the next 20 years to be spent on a massive wasteful space program to visit the nearest inhabited planet that has dense, bushy fields of some sort of tall grain-like plant life, so that we can land and make some circles in it. * * * Maybe the aliens have no concept of money or even return on investment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-chibolton-crop-circles-elaborate-hoax-or-alien-contact/121887.md?page=1)