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The Mysterious “Fairy Circles” of Nimibia, Africa

In the sandy desert grasslands of Namibia in southern Africa, mysterious bare spots known as “fairy circles” will form and then disappear years later for no reason anyone can determine. A new look at these strange patterns doesn’t solve the wistful mystery. Small fairy circles stick around an average of 24 years, while larger ones can exist as long as 75 years, according to current research.

These circles are not just another myth or legend. They are truly stumping scientists. Dr. Walter Tschinkel, a biologist from the Department of Biological Science at Florida State University, states:

“The fairy circles of the Namib Desert (ongoing): The eastern margin of the Namib Desert of Namibia, Africa is home to a mysterious phenomenon in which the grassy vegetation is punctuated by tens of thousands of evenly spaced barren spots surrounded by taller grass. The origin of these circles is unknown, although many hypotheses have been offered. Using satellite images and visits on the ground, I am describing the range of variation of fairy circles and estimating their life span.”

Dr. Tschinkel has been trying to get to the bottom of the mystery since first encountering the circles while on Safari in 2005. Theories considered and ruled out include underground nests of harvester termites and types of plants able to draw resources towards them.

The Wolwedans Foundation, a non-profit organization offering environmental learning programs for Namibian schoolchildren, has even enacted an ‘adopt-a-fairy-circle’ whereby they encourage guests and nature lovers to ‘adopt’ one of the thousands of mysterious “fairy circles” that are unique only to the Namib Desert.

Despite scientists best efforts, nothing to date seems to satisfactorily explain what is creating the curious circles or why. They remain one of the many fascinating unsolved mysteries of our planet.

(Source: MSNBC)