'Mysterious' intricate crop circles 'discovered' in California by 'friends who saw green flashing lights'

• Complicated crop circle appeared in Salinas Valley, California, on Monday
• Anonymous YouTube video claims to show the markings being discovered by two friends after they saw green flashing lights in a field
• Believers claims it was made by extra-terrestrial life
• Others think the crop circle is a 'hoax', made by humans

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 12:20 EDT, 31 December 2013 | Updated: 20:53 EDT, 31 December 2013

Debate is currently raging over how some intricate and mysterious crop circles appeared overnight in a Californian field on Monday.

The giant markings caused believers to claim that aliens had landed in Salinas Valley, while crop circle experts were quick to claim that the shape, which resembles a computer chip, is a hoax.

An anonymous video has surfaced on YouTube that claims to show the first discovery of the circle, after two friends noticed flashing lights in a field and got out of their car to investigate.

The first impressive pictures of the markings were taken by photographer Julie Belanger of the 111th Aerial Photography Squadron who flew over the site near Chualar, ten miles south of Salinas. 

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Mystery: This intricate marking cropped up in a field in California on Monday morning

Debate: Some people see the crop circle as proof of alien visitation while others think it was made by humans

Discovery? A YouTube video uploaded by an anonymous user claims to show the first finding of the circle when two friends noticed a flashing green light in the field beside the road

Berlanger told KSBW: 'It was beautiful. Quite beautiful... I believe it's possible that aliens exist, but I don't know if they would bother making a crop circle to give us a message.'

The YouTube video claims to show two men finding the markings after they witnessed green flashing lights next to the road.

The footage shows the men leaving their car and climbing over the fence into the field. While the green lights flicker few more times the cameraman focuses on the flattened plants.

At one point one of the friends says: 'Dude, are you seeing this? Dude, this is a crop circle.' After walking in the field for a couple of minutes the men appear the panic and run back to their vehicle.

'A friend and I were driving on Chualar Canyon Road south of Salinas, California before sunrise, and THIS happened,' the YouTube user known only as Cannot Say commented on the video.  

View from above: Aerial photographer Julie Belanger shot the circle from a helicopter

Impressive sight: 'It was beautiful. Quite beautiful,' said the aerial photographer who shot the marking

'Needless to say, pretty wild, but we slipped away and it's too good not to share. Created this account since I don't want this tied to me. Still not sure what to make of it.'

Many people were not convinced that the markings were proof of an alien visitation.

The Monterey Herald reported that the site was being protected by security guards on Monday, but they would not name the client they were working for.

Jeffrey Wilson of the Independent Crop Circle Researchers Association also told the paper that there were several signs that the circles were made by human rather than extra-terrestrial life.

Wilson pointed out that the marking was too well aligned with the road, the center of the circle resembled braille and that the YouTube video could have been a form of viral marketing.

'My guess is that ... it is commissioned work for an advertisement,' Wilson explained to the Herald.

'Or a commissioned work for a production company making a documentary on crop circles or for some kind of film.'