Unveiling the Astonishing Truth Behind Namibia and Australia's Enigmatic Fairy Circles

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"Fairy circles" are circular patches of barren dirt resembling a series of polka dots that extend for miles across the terrain. The mysterious origins of this phenomenon have fascinated scientists for many years, and recent findings suggest that they may be even more widespread than previously believed.

The excavation team uncovering the wooden structure

Professor Larry Barham/University of Liverpool

Extraordinary structure has no real parallel in the archaeological record, scientists say

Fairy circles were previously only found in the dry lands of Southern Africa's Namib Desert and the outback of Western Australia. However, a recent study utilized artificial intelligence to identify similar vegetation patterns in numerous new locations across 15 countries and three continents. This discovery has the potential to greatly enhance scientists' understanding of fairy circles and their formation on a global scale.

In the study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, researchers analyzed high-resolution satellite images of arid ecosystems from various regions around the world. These images were processed using a neural network, a type of AI that mimics the functioning of the brain, in order to identify patterns resembling fairy circles.

have been identified using artificial intelligence models applied to satellite imagery, marking the first widespread utilization of this technology for pattern detection. Dr. Emilio Guirado, a data scientist at the Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Alicante in Spain, confirmed this groundbreaking development via email.

The study authors initially trained the neural network to identify fairy circles by using over 15,000 satellite images taken across Namibia and Australia. Half of the images contained fairy circles, while the other half did not. Next, the researchers provided the AI with a dataset consisting of satellite views of approximately 575,000 plots of land worldwide, all measuring around 2.5 acres (1 hectare). The neural network examined vegetation in these images and detected recurring circular patterns resembling known fairy circle patterns. It evaluated the size, shape, location, density, and distribution of these circles.

Following this analysis, a human review was necessary, according to Guirado. He explained that they manually excluded some artificial and natural structures that did not correspond to fairy circles, taking into account photo-interpretation and the area's context.

The findings indicated the presence of 263 arid areas across Africa (including the Sahel, Western Sahara, and the Horn of Africa), Madagascar, Midwestern Asia, and central and Southwest Australia. These locations exhibited circular patterns reminiscent of fairy circles seen in Namibia and Australia.

Fairy circles are not the sole natural phenomenon causing circular, recurring bare spots in a landscape. One distinguishing factor of fairy circles is the highly organized pattern between the circles, as explained by Dr. Stephan Getzin, a researcher at the University of Göttingen in Germany. In a November 2021 publication, Getzin and his colleagues described the definition of fairy circles and their distinctive characteristics, focusing on the structural details of the overall pattern. However, according to Getzin, the newly discovered patterns do not meet these standards.

Fairy circles possess the inherent capability to establish a spatially periodic pattern, which is notably more organized compared to other patterns. According to Getzin, none of the patterns examined in the survey meet this high standard.

First encounter on the trail is a desert elephant, under the ana trees. Elephants love the fruit and shade the trees provide.

Andrea Oschetti/CNN

However, there is no widely agreed-upon definition of fairy circles, according to Guirado. To determine potential fairy circles, Guirado and his coauthors used guidelines from various published studies to assess the size, shape, and overall patterns formed by the circles. The spatial patterns of both old and new fairy circles were found to be nearly identical, he explained.

Some of the newly discovered locations have been approved by Dr. Fiona Walsh, an ethnoecologist from the University of Western Australia. Dr. Walsh has conducted extensive research on fairy circles in the Australian outback as a member of an international team. She noted that the distribution pattern in Australia aligns with their previous findings. However, it should be noted that Dr. Walsh was not part of the recent survey. The mysterious origins of fairy circles continue to intrigue researchers.

The study authors collected environmental data to understand the causes of the fairy circles. They found that these patterns are most likely to occur in dry, sandy soils with high alkaline levels and low nitrogen content. The fairy circle-like patterns also play a role in stabilizing ecosystems by increasing their resistance to disturbances like floods or extreme drought.

However, identifying the exact factors responsible for shaping fairy circles is a complex task. The study authors reported that these factors may vary from one site to another. Getzin, one of the researchers, previously suggested that climate conditions and self-organization in plants contribute to the formation of fairy circles in Namibia. While insects like termites may inhabit the dry patches, their activities do not directly create the patterns, according to his email statement.

A photograph captures the ancient Nabataean carved tombs at the al-Hijr (Hegra) archaeological site, located near the northwestern Saudi Arabian city of al-Ula, on February 3, 2023. These tombs, dating back to the first century BC, form part of an extensive site consisting of 111 tombs. The majority of these tombs feature intricately decorated facades, cave drawings, and even early inscriptions predating the Nabataean era. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images

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According to Walsh, the fairy circles in Australia are closely connected to termite activity. Through their research, conducted in partnership with indigenous communities, they found that termites play a crucial role in the formation of fairy circles. Known as "linyji" in the Manyjilyjarra language and "mingkirri" in the Warlpiri language, these patterns have been recognized by Aboriginal people since at least the 1980s, and are believed to have been known for many generations, possibly even thousands of years earlier.

Termites in Australia do more than just play a role; they act as the primary mechanism and interpretations should focus on the dynamics between termites, grass, soil, and water. There are still many unanswered questions about fairy circles, but the authors of the new study are hopeful that their global atlas will usher in a new era of understanding for these unique barren areas.

Guirado expressed his hopes that the information published in the paper will offer scientists worldwide fresh avenues for research, unraveling the mysteries surrounding the formation of fairy-circle patterns. Mindy Weisberger, a science writer and media producer, has contributed her work to Live Science, Scientific American, and How It Works magazine.