Namibia’s fairy circles leave scientists flummoxed

[truthisfreedom]

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_5-4-2004_pg9_7

Namibia’s fairy circles leave scientists flummoxed

Attempts by South African botanists to explain “fairy circles” in Namibia — bizarre outlines in the grass, somewhat akin to Britain’s bogus crop circles — have drawn a complete blank, New Scientist reports.

The circles comprise innumerable discs of completely bare sandy soil, ranging from two to 10 metres (seven to 25 feet) across, found in grass on Namibia’s coastal fringe.

Over the past three decades, scientists have wrangled over how the shapes are formed.

There are three main theories: radioactive soil, which prevents plants from growing; toxic proteins left in the soil by a poisonous plant called the milkbush; and termite colonies that mop all the seeds, leaving nothing left to grow.

[SheilaT]

1. Wouldn't it be real easy

to figure out if the soil is radioactive or if termites are there? And maybe even the milkbrush thing?

Oh, okay, I just looked at the article and see they've ruled out those things. How long have the circles been there? How often do new ones pop up? There's an awful lot left out of the piece.

Along the Mississippi River in southern Missouri where the New Madrid earthquakes occurred nearly two hundred years ago, (1811-1812) circles of sand were thrust up from deep underneath the earth, and to this day nothing grows in those circles. So is there a chance the fairy circles have the same origin? If new ones are showing up, then that's not an explanation.

[lazarus]

2. Yet another "scientists are flummoxed" article

And it fails to actually answer any real questions:

Are scientists actually "flummoxed"?

Are scientists actually trying to answer a question here?

How frequently do these things occur?

What are the prevailing theories?

What theories have been disproven?

Oh, wait, those last two were sort of answered at the same time. The "leading theories" have also been disproven.

And who, exactly, is this "lead scientist", and what is she leading, exactly?

This article is meaningless, as usual for science articles in the press.

[kainah]

3. I have to admit

I just so like the idea of a fairy circle that the whole content has flown over my head into whispy dust. :apooffairyiconhere:

[Ediacara]

4. Photos would be nice

As would be names of flumoxed scientists...

[incontrovertible]

5. photo

http://www.overland.co.za/jvergeer/Namibia2001/Fluss/imagepages/image9.htm

Interesting. Wonder what the root systems of the shrubbery, etc. look like at the borders of the circles. Can't believe someone dug a six-foot hole within one, looking for termites. I wouldn't so much as set foot on one of the things. That which appears blighted by God, probably is.

More things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio...