Draft:Colin Andrews

Colin Andrews is a British electrical engineer who became involved in the study of crop circles in the early 1980s.Colin Andrews, Pat Delgado Circular Evidence: A Detailed Investigation of the Flattened Swirled Crops. Phanes Press, 1991. {{ISBN|0-7475-0635-3}} In 1983, he reported observing an unexplained crop formation in Hampshire. The following year, he joined with other researchers to establish a group known as Circles Phenomenon Research (CPR){{Cite web |title=Crop Circles {{!}} Psi Encyclopedia |url=https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/crop-circles |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk}} to document and examine crop circle reports. Early work by the group included collecting field data and collaborating with individuals such as Pat Delgado and Busty Taylor.

Andrews' interest in crop circles began in the early 1980s, when he observed a complex formation resembling a Celtic Cross in a wheat field near Cheesefoot Head, Hampshire. This observation marked the start of his investigation into crop circles, patterns created by flattened crops that had been reported sporadically for decades but became widely publicized during the 1980s.{{Cite news |last1=Gibbs |first1=Geoffrey |last2=Gregory |first2=Sally James |date=2000-11-07 |title=Fined - for running rings round crop circles |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/nov/07/geoffreygibbs.sallyjamesgregory |access-date=2025-06-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Northcote |first=Jeremy |date=1 February 2011 |title=Spatial distribution of England's crop circles |url=https://www.siue.edu/GEOGRAPHY/ONLINE/Northcote06.pdf |website=Southern Illinois University Edwardsville}}

In 1989, Andrews co-authored Circular Evidence with Pat Delgado, which presented their research on crop formations. According to a 2009 article in The Guardian, both Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh expressed interest in crop circles,{{Cite news |last=Association |first=Press |date=2009-01-24 |title=Crop circle hunt at Sandringham |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jan/24/sandringham-crop-circles |access-date=2025-06-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} with the Duke reportedly subscribing to a newsletter authored by Andrews.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-23 |title=The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh 'take an interest' in crop circles, says private secretary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/4321037/The-Queen-and-Duke-of-Edinburgh-take-an-interest-in-crop-circles-says-private-secretary.html |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}

The crop circle phenomenon has been met with skepticism in the broader scientific community. Notably, in 1991, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley admitted to creating many crop circles as hoaxes using simple tools, casting doubt on claims of non-human origin.{{Cite web |date=2000-08-09 |title=Some crop circles 'created by magnetic fields' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/some-crop-circles-created-by-magnetic-fields-710744.html |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=The Independent |language=en}} In 2002, Andrews related the result of a two-year investigation into hoaxing, estimating that about 80% of crop circles are human-made.{{Cite web |date=2002-08-02 |title=It's harvest time for crop-circle hype |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3077371 |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=NBC News |language=en}} He maintains that the remaining formations could not be fully explained by hoaxers alone, nor can the reports of associated anomalies.

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