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From: Steven J. Dunn <SDunn@logicon.com>
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 05:00:45 -0700
Fwd Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 17:22:54 -0400
Subject: BBC: US Billionaire Funds Crop Circle Research 


Wednesday, May 19, 1999 Published at 11:11 GMT 12:11 UK

BBC

"US billionaire funds crop circle research"

US billionaire Laurance Rockefeller is to fund the UK's biggest
survey of crop circles.

Scientists will be carrying out aerial research over Wiltshire
next month in the hope of finding out once and for all whether
the mysterious patterns are genuine or the work of hoaxers.

Some believe they are created by UFOs during nocturnal visits.
Others say they are connected to ancient "ley lines", or put it
down to natural phenomena such as unusual forms of lightning.

The first few crop circles of the season have already appeared
in several West Country fields. The area has long been the focal
point of those in Britain who believe that the circles are the
work of extra terrestrial forces.

Last year a US Website advertised week-long tours of UK crop
circles priced at $2,199 per person.

Until now research has been carried out by amateurs and
enthusiasts, known as croppies. But there is a growing
scientific discipline based around the study, known as
cereology.

Mr Rockefeller, a former US congressman,  has given his
financial backing to the UK's largest and most scientific study.

Mr Rockefeller, scion of the famous dynasty, has a long standing
interest in UFOs and other bizarre phenomena.

He has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to UFO
abduction researcher John Mack.

Mr Rockefeller also funds the Starlight Coalition, which wants
to end what it says is US Government secrecy on UFOs.

His organisation has already built up the biggest crop circle
database, and will be working with private detectives and the
National Farmers Union.

Many farmers believe crop circles are the work of hoaxers, and
say they cause thousands of pounds of damage every year. Several
people have come forward to claim responsibility.

In 1991 two landscape painters, David Chorley and Douglas Bower,
claimed they started the hoax in 1978, after drinking in a pub.

They said for the past 13 years they had been sneaking around
southern England at night, fashioning as many as 25 to 30 new
circles each growing season.

In a BBC CountryFile special in January, Mr Bower, 74, showed
how his patterns were made with planks of wood, lengths of rope
and a ball of string. He said he was amazed that many followers
of crop circles still refused to believe they were a hoax.

But it seems there remain unexplained factors, such as the lack
or tracks or footsteps.