Text © Lucy Pringle.

Whereas the sceptical may with a certain amount of justification, dismiss out of hand the results of the Human Effects reports as coming from people with overactive imaginations, it is more difficult to dismiss the evidence of rigorously conducted scientific tests. To be fair, I cannot dismiss the 434 reports I have received from people. Indeed I know from my own personal experience that there are many varied `energies` in the circles that can affect people individually. Once you have had an personal experience there is absolutely no doubt in your mind that something out of the ordinary has happened to you for which you can find no other logical explanation no matter how hard you try.

What are these `energies`? It would seem likely from the work conducted by American biophysicist Dr Levengood and others that we are dealing with microwave radiation; the degree of MR activity will clearly depend on the exposure time, power density and frequency.(1) We know that MR affects the central nervous system which consists of the spinal cord, the lower brain and the cortex (try and imagine the central nervous system as being a giant electrical circuit constantly reacting to external conditions), but as yet little is understood about the function and interaction of MR with living organisms.

We know that some of the signs of MR exposure are as follows:

a.distortion of sight

b.taste

c.smell

d.audio (clicks, buzzing or chirps).

e.temporary paralysis.

f.abnormal or post-menopausal menstrual bleeding.

g.drowsiness

h.elation.

i.physical and mental disorientation.

j.mental clarity and physical well-being.

You will note that there are contradictions in the above list which would indicate that a certain level of MR could have beneficial effects on certain individuals.

Much has been written about microwave activity but clearly much more research is needed, especially in trying to appreciate and assess the degree of disruption caused to the central nervous system by microwave activity.

E.E.G and E.S.R TESTS.

With this in mind together with the mountain of reports describing altered states of mind and other effects listed above, I once more sought the help and wisdom of Peter Staples and Isobel Maxwell-Cade (Max Cade was a pioneer in the biofeedback technique and wrote (2) ("The Awakened Mind") who have for 4 consecutive years lent their time, expertise and equipment to this research.(3,4,5)

(A controlled experiment was done at the East Oakley formation with several individulas. Control tests were done beforehand at Lucy's home). We all individually started examining the lay of the crop; after a very short time I felt extremely sick and lay down in one of the spurs jutting out from the main circle to try and recover. Isabel approached me requesting me to dowse as I normally do for the most auspicious place to conduct the tests. I rallied with difficulty and found one spot, just west of the entrance from the shaft to the circle. I then managed to bury my bottles, but was feeling so unwell, I had no great hopes of finding them again at a later date. As I was returning to the circle I noticed Gwen was missing; "She is feeling so sick she has gone to lie down in the car", said Chad. I looked around for Christopher and found him sitting in a huddle, pea green to the gills.

Gisela reported intermittent nausea; Andre giggled continuously for half an hour whilst being tested and reported feeling extra well before returning to normal; Jim Lyons reported feeling slightly nauseous at the head of the circle, despite experiencing a major breakthrough in reconciling his torroidal theory with linear effects; Chad reported "physical fatigue, mentally fuzzy whilst inside formation and for an hour or so after leaving". I observed Chad's biofeedback test in the formation; he was asked to think of his favourite place; instantly there was activity in the Beta, Alpha areas and to a lesser degree in the Theta, but almost as quickly this activity stopped and the light emitting diodes collapsed against the central stem as though there was no existing thought process activity. Chad found he was quite unable to sustain any coherent thought.

So what was happening to us? Peter and Isabel on analysing the results suggest that the following results should be viewed as demonstrative rather than "proof" in strict scientific terms that the crop circles can be an agent in bringing about changes in states of consciousness".

Measurements and what they can show.

In summary, the measurements of changes and responses in the body are used to appraise the corresponding changes in mental\emotional state. The basis for this correspondence is empirical - derived from many many hours of monitoring people and relating their subjective accounts and the observable responses with these taken objectively from the instruments. We attempt to interpret such changes in psycho-physical terminology eg. " shift from lethargic towards relaxed-and-alert" because these are more accessible than the physical readings from the meter scales. This obviously reflects a model of the psycho-physical responses with an objective consistency, and this was an important part of the work undertaken by Max Cade in the development of biomonitoring method and implicit in these studies.

Watching the display of the Mind Mirror EEG for even a short period shows how rapidly and frequently the spectrum of brain wave activity can- and often does change. The account given below is therefore a brief appraisal of the overall shift (or absence of such shifts) in the patterns of the subjects listed.

" Our interpretation of the EEG patterns reflects a "hierarchy " of states of consciousness ie: where each state has a greater level of awareness and responsiveness than the one below. Whilst there are appropriate situations for all these states, we are looking for an increase in the level of awareness and in the balancing of the activity of the two sides of the brain. This way of interpreting EEG patterns is described in the book "The Awakened Mind" by C. Maxwell Cade and Nona Coxhead.

Location.

The location arranged by Lucy, which was at East Oakley in Hampshire. The crop formation is known as the Mayan Symbol. At this time, the crop was still green rather than brown. Our reference measurements were made at Lucy's house in Sheet, some miles away. This time the reference measurements were made in the garden rather than indoors.

It was a warm day. The temperature outside in the sun in mid afternoon was about 29 degrees C.

Our subjects were Christopher Weeks, Jim Lyons and two Canadians, Gwen Shrimpton and Ande Powell. Only Chris had been measured on previous occasions. All had prior experiences in crop formations except Andre, who was somewhat apprehensive of both the crop circles and the biomonitoring procedures.

Findings

The ESR and temperature are summarised as follows (higher ESR means lower autonomic nervous system activity):

Subject.....ESR(left hand)..........ESR(right hand)........finger temp(L hand)

............at Lucy's ...in circle ......at Lucy's...in circle.......at Lucy's....in circle

Chris .......250K ....400K............. 280K ......350K ..........33.5 degs ..34.5 degs

Jim ..........300K ....600K .............250K ......450K.......... 33 degs ......43 degs

Gwen .......180K ....400K .............250K ......400K ..........34 degs...... 35 degs

Andre .....250K .....170K ............250K...... 200K ...........34 degs .....34 degs

Chris, Jim and Gwen showed a marked change in the ESR, with an increase of between 60% and 120%. This reflects less stimulation but a dissociation of the mental and physical activities - quite the opposite of the measurements of the previous year and perhaps an indication of a different "feel" to this formation. Andre, however came more "alive" and energetic and his ESR decreased by around 25%.

Chris's EEG patterns were more balanced at Lucy's house than on previous measurements. In the crop circle, the right brain showed less activity -more "cut off" in the higher frequencies associated with expression of feelings - but with more left brain beta activity eg. in intellectualising.

Jim's characteristic EEG patterns were unusual both at Lucy's and in the crop circle. He often showed delta and beta activity with very little activity but with the changes in the two types of activity synchronised - eg. as soon as a stimulus appeared in the delta at the bottom of the spectrum, the beta at the top would also increase (both hemispheres). Isabel interpreted this as "simultaneous knowledge" or perhaps akin to an almost mediumistic state ie: within the crop circle, and this pattern reflects a strong dowsing ability. This scenario was much more prominent in the crop circle.

Gwen's patterns in the crop circle were primarily in the lower part of the spectrum - delta and theta. These are characteristics of dissociated state(rather like sleeping) but which we interpreted as being less than comfortable - as if putting out feelers to try and make sense of things. There was some balances alpha activity, but most of this activity would have been below conscious observations. She seemed unable to access this mental fluency in the crop circle and she said she was on the edge of a migraine headache.

Andre had seemed to be less than wholly comfortable at Lucy's house. The left brain often showed alpha blocking eg. with delta and theta present but a "fifth state" beta/alpha/theta pattern on the right. We interpreted this as though being "in part OK" but also wondering - "is this a good idea?". There was also high levels of beta - interpreted as over-excited or unsure. In the crop circle Andre's patterns were more balanced ad generally improved with eyes open or closed.

Conclusions

The subjects responded in different ways in this crop circle. Chris, Jim and Gwen all showed a reduction in activity in the autonomic nervous system whilst still keeping the peripheral temperature up - which is normally interpreted as more relaxed. The brain patterns seemed to show more dissociation eg. less "struggling to maintain balance". With Chris this was more apparent in the beta activity. With Jim - in the direct link between the delta and beta and with Gwen in the increased delta and theta activity. We suspect our subjects this year were innately healthy and used to "getting.on with the job" under adverse conditions. In other people, I would expect a fall in peripheral temperature - "a withdrawal of energy" from the situation by the immune system. These states would prove draining if maintained for too long.

Andre, however seemed rejuvenated and was revelling in the experience of the circle.

This circle had a rather different and less clear effect than our experiences in the previous three summers. Whether by choice or fortune, Lucy had picked a formation which did not have the "friendly" reputation of the formations of earlier measurements and this seemed to be born out by our observations with these four subjects. We noticed that the subjects were uncomfortable in some parts of the formation and avoided these areas for the site of our measurements.

Perhaps the influence of the formation was powerful but discordant - but for Andre this was the stimulus for a shift to "fifth state" awareness which encourages creative inspirations and personal knowledge."

It is interesting to note that the tests revealed the discomfort and disorientation felt by everyone apart from Andre, Peter and Isabel.

Two weeks later I returned to the formation with psychologist Dr Marianne Krull and researchers Shelley Keel and Pam. None of us suffered any ill effects and all the bottles were retrieved.