Case file · Crop circle
Barbury Castle formation
A famous, geometrically intricate formation that fuelled the 1990s craze.
1991 CE · 51.49, -1.79 · status: disputed
The researched reading
A brilliant piece of anonymous land art within proven human capability.
| Explanation | Weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A hoax or fabrication | 90% | The 1991 formation appeared weeks before Bower and Chorley’s confession; circle-makers have since made far more complex patterns overnight. |
| Genuinely anomalous | 3% | The makers of this one were never named, leaving a tiny share. |
| A poorly understood natural phenomenon | 2% | Plasma-vortex ideas could not account for such designs. |
| Perception, memory or mind | 2% | Its intricacy impressed believers, but intricacy is a skill, not a sign. |
| Something known, misidentified | 1% | Not relevant: the formation is physical. |
| A known natural phenomenon | 1% | No natural process makes intricate geometry. |
| Secret human technology | 1% | Not relevant. |
Official position: No official investigation.