People who attempt to study these circles have coined a name for themselves: cereologists.

The word comes from the name of the Roman goddess of vegetation, Ceres.

There are two favorite theories held by cereologists .

1-The first is that the depressions are the result of an unusual weather effect. George Tenence Meaden, a former professor of physics, calls this a "plasma vortex phenomenon" which he defines as "a spinning mass of air which has accumulated a significant fraction of electrically charged matter."

2-The second theory is that somehow crop-circles are created by UFOs. Proponents of this theory note that occasionally crop circles seem to appear in conjunction with a UFO sighting.

Some of the early, simple crop circles certainly do suggest fields that might have been flattened by the weight of a grounded flying saucer. As the circles have become more complex in shape, though, proponents of the UFO theory have had to modify their ideas suggesting that the marks left are due to a strange effect of the craft's drive force on the plants. Others even argue that the shapes are messages purposefully left by the saucer's crew.

If you have a personal story you would like to share or published on our site (with your name), please feel free to E-Mail us. We are very interested in your stories, and will respond immediately. As always, be sure to Bookmark this page, as we add new material on a daily basis, and come back often!