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appeared in daylight hours (like many before it), with claims that it wasn't there at first light, although it had arrived by 10.45 am when it was spotted by aerial photographer Lucy Pringle. And so the mystery only deepens further—and with it the interest, which refuses to go away despite all the sceptical propaganda continually fed to the public. on 20 June would have sat quite happily with some of its UK counterparts. While just single formations were reported in the likes of Poland, Switzerland and the USA, Belgium with four events and The Netherlands with six were the only other countries to show signs of significant activity. Indeed, the most distinctive product of the Dutch fields was a man-made effort created to mark the 200th anniversary of the artistic Royal Wilhelminapolder Society. This impressive hybrid of butterfly and da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" was a curious synchronicity, given the cerealogical fuss made this summer over the controversial web postings of an enigmatic character known as "Mothman", later revealed to be a well-known circles researcher. The huge creation, covering nearly an entire field, reportedly took 55 people two days to make over 6-7 August. Some were disappointed to hear it was man-made (and some have challenged the claim). But at the same time, given that many large formations have arrived within very short periods over the years with no sightings of the likes of 55 people crashing around the fields, exercises like this usefully demonstrate what an extraordinary unexplained phenomenon we do still have in the shape of the masterpieces which continue to arrive under circumstances that so often defy such explanations. However many formations may be man- made, there is always a significant proportion that (like butterflies) cannot and should not be pinned down that The Global Picture The crop circle phenomenon, while still essentially focusing on England, with 71 events (to date) this year, tipped the hat to other countries by continuing its usual 50 or so reported global events. Germany produced the most out of all the other nations, albeit with just 10 patterns, the best being a very neat double-spiral recorded at Barterode in Lower Saxony on 12 July. Italy in recent years has been a keen contender, too, but in 2009 produced only seven designs, although the very beautiful 12-fold mandala at Cascina Martina in Torino way. As ever, 2009 had its fair share of excitement, heated debates and amazing glyphs; but the continued boom of UK circle numbers, in contrast to the global picture, increasingly suggests that the anticipated grand events of the next few years will see England, for whatever reason, at the heart of it all (as | have alluded to before)—especially with the impending Olympics due to focus ever more attention here in the run-up to the summer of 2012... Watch this space. 00 About the Author: Andy Thomas is one of the world's leading mysteries researchers and is the author of five books on the crop circle phenomenon, including Vital Signs, considered by many to be the definitive guide. His new book The Truth Agenda: Making Sense of Unexplained Mysteries, Global Cover-Ups and 2012 Prophecies has recently been published and is reviewed in this edition. For more details, see http://www.vitalsignspublishing.co.uk. Andy Thomas can be contacted by email at info@vitalsignspublishing.co.uk. Image Credits and Contacts: * Steve Alexander: www.temporarytemples.co.uk * Crop Circle Connector: www.cropcircleconnector.com * Lucy Pringle: www.lucypringle.co.uk . * Olivier Morel, , Wiltshire Crop Circle Study Group: South Field, near Alton Priors, Wiltshire. Reported 27 June. Image: © Olivier Morel (WCCSG) 2009, www.wccsg.com www.wccsg.com 64 * NEXUS OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2009 www.nexusmagazine.com