Sussex Circular - 1998 no 74

Magazine Overview

Title: SC
Issue: 74
Date: March 1998
Price: £1.00
Publisher: Southern Circular Research (SCR)
Country: England
Language: English

This issue of SC Magazine, "The Monthly Journal of Crop Circles and Beyond," focuses on the mathematical and geometric underpinnings of crop circle phenomena. The cover prominently features the "Koch Snowflake" and the concept of "Diatonic Ratios," with additional articles on "Future Shock!" and "Diatonic Ratios In The Fields."

Editor's Introduction and Personal Notes

Editor Andy Thomas opens with a thank you to readers, noting the positive impact of "Quest For Contact" and addressing criticisms. He mentions the ongoing recovery of Paul Bura from brain surgery and expresses sympathy for the family of Shari Adamiak, a colleague of Steven Greer and Ron Russell, who recently passed away. Thomas also notes an upcoming appearance by Louis Theroux on BBC 2, which featured Shari.

Features

Diatonic Ratios In Sussex Crop Circles

This article, written by Professor Gerald Hawkins, Ph.D, D.Sc, explores the correlation between crop circle diameters and the "Diatonic Scale," a musical scale used historically in church bells. Hawkins posits that the diameters of certain crop circles, when converted to numerical ratios, align with the notes of this scale. He analyzes data from the book "Circular Evidence" and from SC's own surveys, finding a statistically significant number of crop circles conforming to diatonic ratios, far exceeding what would be expected by chance. The analysis suggests that the circle makers deliberately avoided "black notes" (semitones not part of the diatonic scale). Hawkins emphasizes the need for reproducible lab experiments and independent verification, noting that precise measurements are crucial due to the small margins of error. He presents tables of data from "Circular Evidence" and "Sussex Circulars" with measurements, n-values, and deviations from diatonic ratios.

Aren't What They Were...

This humorous speculative piece by Mike Rogers imagines a day in the life during a time of cataclysmic Earth changes, paranormal phenomena, and environmental apocalypse. The narrative describes bizarre events such as solar flares disrupting satellite links, electrostatic phenomena, cows dying from voltage surges, UFO sightings, and unusual geological and atmospheric changes, including the reversal of Earth's poles and the disappearance of California into the Pacific Ocean.

Koch 3-D: Toying With Fractals

This section, with contributions from Barry Reynolds and his sons Mark and Peter, details the construction of a 3-D Koch Snowflake using "Polydron" building shapes. The article explains how the boys, inspired by Michael Glickman's lecture on the Koch Snowflake (which appeared as crop formations in 1997), managed to create a solid 3-D shape directly from a crop formation design. It highlights the geometric complexity and the children's advanced understanding of geometry, contrasting it with typical primary school projects.

How to build your own basic Koch Snowflake

This is a step-by-step guide with diagrams illustrating how to construct a 2-D Koch Snowflake by repeatedly adding smaller triangles to the sides of existing triangles. It emphasizes that creating such a design in a field overnight would be a significant undertaking.

Koch 2-D: Drawing The Milk Hill Snowflake

Martin Noakes details his process of dissecting and reconstructing the 1997 Milk Hill Koch Snowflake. He notes the absence of crucial guidelines within the formation itself, suggesting a sophisticated design intent. Noakes explains the geometric principles involved in creating a six-pointed star and how the components of the Milk Hill formation, including the outer "grapeshot" circles, are arranged with precise scaling (a factor of 2/3 or .666). He concludes that the intricate lay of the crop, as captured in Steve Alexander's aerial shots, adds another layer of complexity, leaving the creators' identity and methods a mystery.

Cornography with Michael Glickman

Michael Glickman discusses the search for common authorship or stylistic links in crop circle formations globally. He highlights the "CC" formation in Salem, Oregon, as a potential example of a specific link to UK formations, noting its similarity to the West Clandon pictogram. Glickman also clarifies the distinction between mazes and labyrinths in crop circles, stating that while mazes are designed to confuse, labyrinths have a single path and are often associated with the sacred.

Circles Gallery

This section showcases crop glyphs from 1997, including "Maltese Cross" at Haslebury Plucknett, a ringed dumbbell near HMS Mercury base, and the "Barbury Castle" formation. It also features "man-made rings" at Woodborough Hill, described as a German's communication experiment with ETs, where ring positions denote astronomical information. Contact details for obtaining full-colour copies of these photographs are provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores crop circles through a lens of mathematical and geometric analysis, seeking evidence of intelligence and sophisticated design. The articles by Professor Hawkins and Martin Noakes, in particular, emphasize the complex calculations and patterns involved, suggesting that these formations are not random occurrences. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into the phenomenon, acknowledging the mystery of the creators while presenting evidence for deliberate and intricate design. There is a clear interest in connecting these patterns to broader concepts like music theory (diatonic ratios) and advanced mathematics (fractals). The "Cornography" section further pushes the idea of a connected, perhaps global, phenomenon with shared authorship or intent.