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FIRST SCIENTIFIC PROOF OF BURNING IN
CROP CIRCLE PLANTS


by
Nancy Talbott
BLT Research Team Inc.
www.bltresearch.com


August 2, 2010 near Hoeven, Holland. Three burned seed-heads
& one 45 angle "cut" stalk (red arrow) also blackened.
Photo: Roy Boschman

We have heard many reports over the years about possibly "burned" plants in crop formations. However, in every case where these plants have been sent to BLT for examination our consulting analytical chemist has shown (through FT-IR and EDS) that the blackening was actually caused by Ustilago, an opportunistic fungus which feeds on the internal plant stem moisture which is exposed to air when the stems are crushed or broken (http://www.bltresearch.com/labreports/mission1.php).

Blackening caused by Ustilago in maize plants in a crop circle in Mission,
British Columbia in 2002. Photo: Laurel Konrad.

But in 2010 seedheads from a Dutch formation which occurred in the early morning hours of August 2nd in a field in-between Hoeven and Oudenbosch have provided scientific proof of actual burning. At the end-point of a "half-ring" or "arc" component of one section of this formation, in the standing plants right at the edge of this area, there were three partially blackened seedheads and an additional plant stem with no seedhead but with a 45 angle cut which was also blackened.

The laboratory report clearly shows that -- in this case -- the blackening is carbon-based and positively due to burning, not to the fungus Ustilago.

Red arrow points to location of 3 burned seedheads & blackened
cut stalk. Photo: Roy Boschman

At around 2:00 am on the morning of August 2, 2010 Robbert van den Broeke became aware of the very particular sensation he regularly experiences when a new crop circle is forming somewhere in his general vicinity. His intuition indicated a specific field some distance away, near the village of Oudenbosch, as the most likely location of the new circle, so he called his mother's friend Ellen Gomis and asked if she could drive him to this field.

I have tried many times to understand better what this "special feeling" is that Robbert experiences when new circles are occurring and I asked him, again, if he could describe it in any greater detail to me. Robbert replied that when circles are forming he feels the presence of a "big soul group"; he also said that, in this case, as he and Ellen reached the field the air felt "very busy" and "full of energy" and, as Ellen was parking the car, he saw (as he often has in the past) a flash of light directly over the field in which he and Ellen then immediately found the new crop circle.

As is often the case Robbert felt drawn to go into the formation immediately and -- in this instance -- he then experienced a very strong "rotating" energy "on his heart" which produced a feeling of such peace that he could only describe it as similar to the feeling of "coming home."

This formation was interesting for a number of reasons. First, it was in two sections, with a tramline running between the two parts. Second, there was a considerable amount of randomly-downed crop in the same field, a situation which BLT has observed to be present in conjunction with many circles which tested as genuine in the past (with the plants in the randomly-downed areas often showing greater abnormalities than those found in the actual "geometrically" flattened areas).

Large arrows point to 2 sections of formation; smaller arrows point to strips of
randomly-downed crop nearby, which often occurs with genuine circles.
Photo: Roy Boschman


Lay detail in one of the small circles.
Photo: Peter Vanlaerhoven

A third interesting feature of this 2010 Dutch event is the presence of a decidedly oval circle in one section of the formation. This oval or elliptical shape has been seen in a few of the previous circles which have appeared in Robbert's vicinity but is rarely seen in crop circles elsewhere in the world.

Second half of 8/2/10 crop formation, this part made up of a
distinct ellipse and a smaller circle.
Photo: Roy Boschman


Oval or elliptical component, closer. As can barely be seen, only a few standing
plants separate the oval from the small circle.
Photo: Roy Boschman

Finally it is curious that the burned seedheads were not all affected to precisely the same degree. The seedhead submitted for analysis shows what appear to be totally normal seed pods just underneath the burned top. One of the close-up photos taken in the field, however, clearly shows dehydration of several seed-pods directly beneath the charred seed-pods near the tip of that seedhead.

The burned seedhead submitted for analysis, showing no
dehydration of seed-pods beneath charred tip.
Photo: P. Budinger


Another of the burned seedheads showing marked dehydration
of seed pods beneath the burned areas.
Photo: Roy Boschman

We did not receive the "cut" and blackened plant stem photographed at the same location and, so, cannot determine with 100% certainty whether it's darkened end is due to burning or Ustilago. But given that the seedhead we did receive is now proven to have been burned, and the fact that the "cut" plant stem was not only observed in the same area but on the first day of the formation's existence, it's blackening is most likely due to burning also. [Blackening caused by Ustilago would take many days before being visible.]

Following is BLT's consulting analytical scientist's FT-IR report, which failed to detect any trace evidence of an accelerant.




17100 Wood Acre Trail
Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023
Phone/Fax: 440-708-2211
Email: BudingerPA@MSN.com

TECHNICAL SERVICE RESPONSE NO.: UT074

Subject:
Analysis of a Blackened Hull from a Wheat Seed-Head in a Crop Formation (near Hoeven, Holland, August 2, 2010)
Date: April 1, 2011
Requested By: Nancy Talbott, BLT Research
Reported By: P. A. Budinger Analytical Scientist


Background/Objective:

A wheat crop formation was "seen" by Robbert van den Broeke in a vision, as it was occurring. This formed on August 2, 2010 in Holland. Roy Boschman went to the location described by Robbert as soon as it was light. He indeed found a formation. He also noted some of the seed-heads appeared to be partially burned. These were at the very end of a partially completed ring, or "arc", which was part of a formation. The objective is to determine whether the cause of the blackening was burning or ustilago fungus. Following are photographs with a graphic of the formation and an in situ photo of the blackened seed-heads.


Diagram & Photo: Roy Boschman

The analysis shows the seed-head top is burned. The heat it experienced appears to be localized because the bottom part of the seed-head is normal. The source of the heat is unknown. A logical speculation is that it was involved in the creation of the crop formation. The source was either hot, or there was an energy field around it that induced the seed hulls to burn.

The seed head sample was received in a 60ml glass bottle on March 14, 2011. Following is a photograph of the sample.

Image: P.Budinger


Results:

A microscope photograph of the seed head shows definite signs of burning. The hulls are charred and partially burned away.

Photomicrograph of charred seeds found in August 2,
2010 Hoeven, Holland crop circle. Image: P. Budinger

Infrared analysis of the blackened end of the seed-head also shows it has been burned. Spectra of the normal hull and the blackened hull were compared. The spectrum of the blackened hull is quite different from that of a normal appearing hull of the seed-head.

The normal hull spectrum is typical for plant-derived substances, i.e. it shows a predominance of celluloidal structure and some natural long chain ester. The spectrum of the black hull shows typical oxidation bands resulting from burning. There is some subtle light scattering from 4000 to 2000 cm-1 which is characteristic of carbon, a product of burning. This spectrum compares to a reference spectrum of burned wood. Following are spectra of the blackened hull and the normal hull. References of normal plant (wood bark) and burned plant (wood bark) are included for comparison.


Infrared Spectra of a Blackened Hull and a Normal Hull

Graph


Infrared Reference Spectra of Normal Plant and Plant
After Burning

Graph





File: UT074
___________________
Phyllis A. Budinger