ROBERT HULSE wants a closer look at crop circles...


The 2003 season has started and although we have seen a few aerial shots of the new formations on websites, I have yet to see any close-ups of the laid crop. Surely we now must all accept that at least some of the hoaxers have improved their skills to such a degree that it is totally impossible to discern between genuine and hoaxed formations using aerial photos? Close-up photos are our only hope of determining crop circle authenticity. I enjoy the beautiful aerial shots as much as anyone, and see their value as a historical record, but for getting at the truth they are a bigger hindrance than a help. Experience shows that almost anything looks presentable from 200 feet up. I appreciate that it is not always possible to gain entry to the formations, and I applaud and thank all those who take the time and effort to make available the information to those of us who live many miles away. As the hoaxers improve their skills, we must not shy away from taking an even more critical look at the formations. The truth of the genuine phenomenon must not be allowed to get tangled up in the web of deceit spun by the hoaxers.