扑朔迷离的“麦田怪圈”.docVIP

扑朔迷离的“麦田怪圈” 　　所谓“麦田怪圈”,是指在长满麦子等作物的地里一夜之间出现有些作物弯曲倒伏从而呈现有规律的圆形图案的现象。关于该现象的首次报道可以追溯到1647年,发生地在英国。此后,美国、澳大利亚、欧洲、南美洲、亚洲等地也频频发现这种“怪圈”,但其中绝大部分仍在英国。 　　英国威尔特郡自古以来就是“麦田怪圈”的高发地,每年从4月至9月,频繁出现的神秘怪圈能为当地带来数百万英镑的旅游收入。2009年6月2日,一个长约183米的巨型水母状怪圈在英国牛津郡的一处麦田里被发现。数量曾一度呈减少趋势的“麦田怪圈”再次变得引人注目起来。 　　现在,全世界每年大约会出现250个“麦田怪圈”,其图案也已不再局限于严格意义上的圆圈。蜜蜂、长方形等复杂图案都曾出现过,甚至还有三维立体图形。不过,令人遗憾的是,对于“麦田怪圈”的成因,科学界至今仍存在争议。 　　 　　Adrian Potts, 2)landlord of the Barge Inn in 3)Wiltshire, was pretty cheerful recently. The pub is the center of the British crop circle industry and each year, starting in early May and 4)running for about four months, circle fans (and circle-makers) turn up from round the world. The backroom of the pub has circles on the ceiling, news of the latest formations is posted, and the chat 5)revolves around the images that have been appearing for more than 20 years in the fields of southern England. 　　The 2009 season began in April with an unprecedented six formations. The first was a series of simple circles in a field of 6)rape; then came a 350ft yin-yang symbol in a 7)barley field near 8)Devizes. Three ambitious formations were reported over the last 9)bank holiday and on June 2nd a giant 600ft 10)jellyfish was found in a barley field in 11)Oxfordshire. 　　As of yesterday(June 4th), there have been more than 20 major formations spotted. Potts, who could claim to be something of an expert on the subject, has a 12)hunch that this will be a good summer for circles: “The crops are not true enough yet. Weather permitting, I’d say the best ones will start now. In the next two weeks there should be a burst of activity.” 　　Francine Blake, who founded the Wiltshire crop circle study group in 1995, shares Potts’s optimism. She and other 13)self-appointed investigators identify, measure, photograph, and report on all formations. They go circle-spotting at night in 14)likely places, send crop 15)stalks for chemical analysis in university laboratories (yes, really), and have more than 6,000 crop