No aliens claim responsibility for these crop circles, but Somewhere over Kansas (or maybe Oklahoma), you’ll see an expanse of Rounds as far as the eye can see, as farmers make use of center pivot irrigation systems that keep crops watered efficiently. The invention, which became more widely used in the US after WWII, helped mitigate water runoff and soil erosion and eliminated the threat of crop failure by drought. But, while Dust Bowl II was avoided, nothing is perfect. The center pivot system is Jevons Paradox in practice. For all its benefits, the irrigation method can negatively impact the water table, and in some places has already drained it completely. Sustainability and water scarcity is always top of mind. Who needs another reason to go fight the next AI data center?

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