In temperate climates, "
fairy rings" appear in grassy meadows and lawns, and these are
caused by fungi, with some rings expanding for hundreds of years. But in the western part of Southern Africa, there are a different sort of "
fairy circles," barren circles that are surrounded by long-lived perennial grasses. The
Himba people, an ethnic group in northern Namibia,
attribute them to original ancestor, Mukuru, or consider them "footprints of the gods," and
scientists have been stumped for decades. Professor
Norbert Jürgens, from the University of Hamburg,
might have finally solved the riddle: a species of termites that are most active at night and don't build big, noticeable nests, have
engineered the ecosystem by eating the roots of grasses that grow within the circle, keeping the soil moist for long periods of time. The discussion continues, as
some scientists who have studied the phenomena aren't so sure about the theory.
posted by filthy light thief
on Mar 29, 2013 -
5 comments
Born in Africa to French wildlife photographer parents, Tippi Degré had a most unusual childhood.
(Possibly NSFW)
posted by DaDaDaDave
on Jan 18, 2013 -
19 comments
Namibian Fairy Circles "By comparing photos taken over a 4-year period,
Walter Tschinkel confirmed something other scientists had suspected: The
circles were alive—or at least they were dynamic. A number of circles appeared and disappeared over this time period. Extrapolating from the data, Tschinkel calculated that most smaller circles arise and vanish every 24 years, whereas
larger circles last up to 75 years. Overall, the lifespan averaged 41 years."
posted by dhruva
on Jun 28, 2012 -
16 comments
