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number of militant farmers who insisted on cutting out formations within just a day or two of their arrival—an increasing problem), the impression was left that it had been a vintage year ambience- wise, if not statistically. Even the usually voracious British press, despite publishing one or two sniffy articles, seemed to go generally easy on the phenomenon this year, leaving those who retain their enthusiasm for the subject to go about their circular business relatively unflustered. which would not be out of place in the English fields. The best example was the beautiful "Queen of Diamonds" formation which appeared on 10th June at Monteu da Po, Piemonte. The Netherlands claimed fourth place in the number stakes with 13 events, and Belgium—an upcoming place for crop circles, it seems—came an unexpected fifth with 11 glyphs. Other countries to report formations in 2007 included Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. Overseas themes Meanwhile, there was an upward revival in the fortunes of crop circles elsewhere in the world. Germany, which also had a quiet year in 2006, came back to life in 2007 to produce 18 formations, several of which pursued impressively complex floral themes. Others struck up links with their English counterparts, such as the formation at Meensen in Lower Saxony on 23rd April, which seemed to be a reply to the 15th April opener at Oliver's Castle, Wiltshire, with another play on seven arcs within a ring in oilseed Speculations on the mystery The question remains, of course, that if the 2007 season was indeed a "holding operation" for the crop circles, for what was it holding, and for whom? If the over-arching purpose of the phenomenon is to bring people together, to "raise consciousness" for some world-changing event just around the corner, as many believe (perhaps related to the much-discussed prophecies for the year 2012), could it be that it knows it has now reached the masses as much as it ever will do? After all, a quick viewing of circle website hit-rates reveals that with a whole planet of Net surfers, perhaps surprisingly only a very few thousand ever bother to check in to see the new wonders in the fields. Croppies often have an over-expanded view of their own world, which, in actuality, remains a small one. But small worlds often give birth to big things... While significant mass-media coverage of curiosities like crop circles has largely moved on, replaced by a kind of background- level scepticism which makes media heroes of atheistic intellectuals like Richard Dawkins while reserving the "paranormal" for cheap entertainment, something about this strange phenomenon still refuses to die. The popular perception seems to be that the crop glyphs are simply the dying remains of an art terrorism fad that enjoys a little encore here and there—but some look at the evidence and refuse to believe that such an answer can explain all the wonders that still insist on occurring. Does the ever-elusive source behind the crop circle mystery keep a few new shapes going down here and there just to keep the ball rolling for those latecomers who might yet get sucked in, hoovered up, as it were, to join the small but significant minority of people who seem to be preparing for some kind of global change? Or are the shapes nothing more than some telepathically projected manifestation of our own consciousness, as some have speculated, which will peter out at the start of our next big psychic development, whatever that may be? Or is something really huge just around the corner in our fields which will bring crop circles back to big public awareness...? On, then, to 2008, and probably more of the same for now...but if all the phenomenon does is "hold", for many that will be enough. rape. Italy continued its ascendancy into being England's closest rival in terms of numbers, with a substantial 22 formations, some of Martinsell Hill, Wiltshire. Reported 19th July. Image: Lucy Pringle © 2007, www.lucypringle.co.uk West Overton, near East Kennett, Wiltshire. Reported 17th August. Image: Lucy Pringle © 2007, www.lucypringle.co.uk About the Author: Andy Thomas is one the world's leading crop circle researchers and is the author of five books on the phenomenon including Vital Signs, considered by many to be the definitive guide (see http://www.vitalsignspublishing.co.uk). He can be contacted by email at info@swirlednews.com. Image Credits and Contacts: = Steve Alexander: http://www.temporarytemples.co.uk/ = Crop Circle Connector: http://www.cropcircleconnector.com = John Montgomery (courtesy Crop Circle Connector website) Lucy Pringle: http:/Awww.lucypringle.co.uk/ 58 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazi ne.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2007