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© REVIEWS Cipher of Louix XIV being just a few. conciousness changes, effects on animals, B oO oO K S Equally fascinating is Singh's description of | equipment failures, strange synchronicities ; how Egyptian hieroglyphics and Minoan and other anomalies. The testimony of eye- Reviewed by Ruth Parnell Linear B writing were decoded, how Navajo _ witnesses who report on their crop circle THE CODE BOOK: The Science of codewords were incorporated into a crypto- _ experiences going back to the 1930s and Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to graphic lexicon, and how the Germans’ 1940s is compelling, as is that from people Quantum Cryptography Enigma system was cracked by Alan Turing who have seen crop circles being created in by Simon Singh and others during World War II. the presence of whirlwinds and "luminosi- y ot : 9 Taking his research into our Information ties". And while Pringle follows the scien- Publisher: Fourth Estate, UK, 1999 Age, Singh considers the technology of tific trail, being involved in the analysis of ISBN: 1-85702-879-1 (408pp he) _ quantum cryptography, the challenges to pri- seeds taken from affected crops, she reports Price: AUD$39.95; NZD$49.95; £16.99, vacy, and the often eccentric individuals on others who have actually ingested the NLGf66,90; USD$24.95 . who continue striving to create the ultimate grain—and not without ill effects. ayaa NZL Achetpe Book acne code—and then break it. A rewarding read, Pringle debunks the hoaxers, yet in con- , NZ— y' » requiring patience to work through. cluding she poses many paranormal possi- tel (09) 377 3800; UK—Fourth Estate Ltd, ane P ° bilities. ‘Are the circles "gateways" 7 other tel 0171 727 8993; Europe—NEXUS CROP CIRCLES: The Greatest Mystery dimensions? Are they a natural phenome- Office, tel +31 1321 380558; USA— of Modern Times non occurring on ley lines and aided by Doubleday, te 1 2) 354 6500 af by Lucy Pringle atmospheric conditions? Are they of non- odes and ciphers have been around tor ichar: juman, or even extraterrestrial origin? We Cx long as writing, whatever its form, Mublisher: Thorsons, UK, 1999 are asked to be open-minded about this and in The Code Book Simon Singh gives an ISBN: 0-7225-3855-3 (144pp he) "greatest mystery of modern times" impressive history of this fascinating science Price: AUD$39.95; NZD$44.95; £16.99, 8 sae 7 of secrecy. Indeed, the use of codes and NLG#66,90; USD$27.00 in ag ciphers has changed the course of history, Available: Aust/NZ/UK/USA— Harper “= eV FN ee and Singh charts the evolution of cryptogra- _ Collins/Thorsons; Europe—NEXUS Office =a -—) e Ss . phy, encryption and cryptanalysis from as any of the stunning aerial photographs Lo = a far away as ancient Egypt, Greece, India and Mes crop circles that we have seen over sos Persia, to Renaissance Europe and into the the last ten years have been taken by Lucy HII ! H x 20th century world wars and beyond. Pringle. During that time she has also been - Simon Singh, who has a PhD in physics conducting research on the ground, inter- THE GREATEST and is the author of the bestselling Fermat's viewing people about their experiences in MYSTERY Last Theorem, brings alive a very complex the mysterious crop formations and explor- OF MODERN TIMES subject that is a melding of mathematics, lin- _ ing the associated electromagnetic forces. guistics and technology, with due regard to Thus her book, Crop Circles: The the individuals who have devoted them- Greatest Mystery of Modern Times, is not selves to both codemaking and codebreak- only a rich visual presentation (in b&w with ing. The variety of cipher systems that has a large colour section) but a record of the been used is mind-boggling—the Caesar variety of effects experienced and observed shift cipher, the monoalphabetic and homo- _ in the field, as it were. The reported effects phonic substitution ciphers, frequency have been both beneficial and detrimental, ‘ analysis, the Vigenére square and the Great and include physical and emotional effects, Cipher of Louix XIV being just a few. Equally fascinating is Singh's description of how Egyptian hieroglyphics and Minoan Linear B writing were decoded, how Navajo codewords were incorporated into a crypto- graphic lexicon, and how the Germans' Enigma system was cracked by Alan Turing and others during World War II. Taking his research into our Information Age, Singh considers the technology of quantum cryptography, the challenges to pri- vacy, and the often eccentric individuals who continue striving to create the ultimate code—and then break it. A rewarding read, requiring patience to work through. conciousness changes, effects on animals, equipment failures, strange synchronicities and other anomalies. The testimony of eye- witnesses who report on their crop circle experiences going back to the 1930s and 1940s is compelling, as is that from people who have seen crop circles being created in the presence of whirlwinds and "luminosi- ties". And while Pringle follows the scien- tific trail, being involved in the analysis of seeds taken from affected crops, she reports on others who have actually ingested the grain—and not without ill effects. Pringle debunks the hoaxers, yet in con- cluding she poses many paranormal possi- bilities. Are the circles "gateways" to other dimensions? Are they a natural phenome- non occurring on ley lines and aided by atmospheric conditions? Are they of non- human, or even extraterrestrial origin? We are asked to be open-minded about this "greatest mystery of modern times". NEXUS -71 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2000