The oddities of 2020 have carried over to the new year as bizarre ‘crop circles’ have popped up on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal.
According to the National Capital Commission (NCC), the patterns — which resemble crop circles — are results of the preparations put in place to make the canal skateable.
So no, they’re not warning messages from aliens.
The patterns appear when ice crews drill holes into the ice and pump water from underneath to make the ice surface thicker.
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Because Ottawa hasn’t been hit with much snow so far this winter, the spectacle has become much more visible, says the NCC.
“Our team uses pumps to draw water from below the ice to flood the surface, and the circles are formed as the pump rotates around,” says the NCC’s Instagram page. “Each circle is unique, due to the way the pumps are angled and the amount of snow covering the ice.”
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It’s good to know that aliens aren’t using 2021 to take over parts of the nation’s capital. The bizarre-looking patterns do make for some pretty-looking pictures on social media, however.
Nice try, extraterrestrials.
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