Yes, there HAVE been hoaxes, but are almost always easily identified. In fact, that image of a "crop circle" at the link you posted CAN CLEARLY be identified as a hoax, as it is irregular and crooked. Compare that to some of the images I've posted. I hope you can see the difference.
Furthurmore, the article you linked was only one hoaxster's opinion of crop circles, it was by no means a scientific treatise on the subject. It proves nothing, other than the fact that this individual likes to think that he can hoax crop circles. I find it interesting that Scientific American chose to publish this, especially in reference to Mel Gibson's new movie due out in August, "Signs".
There ARE MANY crop circles that defy explanation. Apparently, Scientific American will more than likely avoid mentioning anything about THEM. It seems like Scientific American isn't being too SCIENTIFIC about this subject..
For a MAJOR debunking of the debunkers, read on..
From The Crop Circle Circular:
Drawings and text © Freddy Silva 1997. Photos © Lucy Pringle and Dr. Andrew King.
Once again the Circlemakers up the ante with a fractal version of the Star Of Solomon, a more complex version of its earlier cousin at Silbury Hill. Located below Milk Hill, this one stands over 200 ft long in wheat and was discovered by farmer Nick Riley at 6 AM.
The formation sets a new record at 204 circles. With the addition of the central fractal pattern the design completes a sequence of hexagonal sacred geometry. The design itself is again based on the Pythagorean geometry found in the earlier formation at Silbury Hill.
For the benefit of those who hold steadfast to the notion that all crop circles are man made I have taken the time (about four days) to demonstrate just how this year's Milk Hill crop circle, and its simpler cousin at Silbury hill, could be made over the course of an evening, with some of your chums on-hand to help.
First off is a lesson in geometry. Fig 1 above is a Tretactys. You will only know this if you are conversant with Pythagoras and pre-Egyptian mathematics. For those discerning minds, this symbol contains the mystery of universal nature- the three creative points of light and the seven intervals of the pure music scale (or the seven creative periods of God plus the threefold, invisible causal universe.)
Fig 2. By connecting the ten dots of the Tetractys, nine triangles are formed, six of which form a cube. This begins to reveal the six-pointed star in the centre. Now comes the hard part. You have to take this basic plan into a field of wheat. To make matters slightly more complicated you and your group of helpers need to loaf about until, say, midnight; for this is summer in England and it is still possible to see people without the aid of electrically-generated lighting at 11.30 PM. You will then be required to wear very dark clothing to conceal your whereabouts in the field. Lights are out of the question because you are located at the foot of a steep hill, from the top of which it is highly likely that several groups of people will be religiously watching you, in the vain hope of witnessing a genuine crop circle appearing. But tonight you will fool the poor bastards with your lethal cunning. Also don't forget that farmers are out checking the fields for pests like you. So the use of night vision equipment, as cumbersome as it is, may be permitted.
Now the work begins. Because this is a particularly tricky one to attempt we shall forego the usual scientific proceedures at the end of your work that will verify signs of genuineness- plants bent not broken, higher radiation levels, electromagnetic anomalies, dowsing confirmations, soil dehydration, changes in the plants at cellular level, just to name a few. And besides, you will have to contend with tenacious mud all night because the clay ground is sopping wet beneath your feet and, frankly, any attempt to walk over grain will either yank the said crop out of the ground or will cover it in a dull blanket of grey/brown earth. This will give the game away, so avoid it at all costs. Right, you now have four hours before it gets light again. Begin.
Fig 3. Oh dear. I forgot to tell you- the last diagram was just the blueprint. You and your friends will first have to bisect a few angles in order to lay down a latice grid. Sorry, there's no shortcut here: without this maze you will never line up the pattern outline, let alone the 204 circles which will be embellished upon completion. And try not to make a mess of the wheat while you are laying this on the ground. You are also not allowed to place stakes to mark the centers- you will leave telltale signs of hoaxing.
Fig 4. Well, that wasn't so difficult, was it? Now you have the basic shape. Try to lay the crop down neatly so it folds like a river, with centers circular and slowly becoming triangular to establish the sharp perimeter walls. And don't get that mud on the laid down stems or we will know you have been all over it. Then take a break, otherwise your body odour will attract bands of sex-mad hedgehogs. Which will only complicate matters.
Fig 5. Remember that latice grid in fig 3? Now you'll have to do the same to create the edges for the reverse fractal in the middle. And for heaven's sake- don't treat into the standing crop or you will crease the plants and give the game away. Since all the circles are several feet apart from each other, with standing crop in-between, you will have to levitate over the field so as not to make a mark while laying down the perfect spirals in each one. And you won't forget to do this for all 204 circles now, will you!? Incidentally, how are you going to accomplish this? You have about 240 minutes of night cover, which means just over 60 seconds per circle. No, you can't waste time for a pee.
Fig 6. There, that wasn't so hard. And all of them with standing crop in each center- a very nice touch. It shows that attention to detail is not dead in the world. How does it all look with the crop laying down softly above the soil?
Fig 7. You are a genius, a true Renaissance man/woman/in-between. Now go get some sleep and don't walk around the area for a while. The lack of sleep on your face, not to mention all the mud, will give you away as the original artist of this higher form of mathematical art. But how close does it resemble the real thing?
Fig 8. Honestly, it just leaves you speeechless.
