"Witches' circles": hundreds of new places associated with mysterious phenomena discovered in the world (photos)
A team of researchers has discovered hundreds of new places in the world where "magic circles" or "witch circles" are found. These strange patterns, which look like bald spots on the bare ground, are evenly distributed across the arid savannah.
The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, IFL Science writes about it. It is noted that with the help of satellites and models, scientists have discovered patterns very similar to "fairy circles" in 263 locations in 15 countries located on three continents.
The circles have been found not only in Namibia and Western Australia, but also in Western Sahara, Madagascar, Southwest Asia, and Central Australia.
The researchers found that "fairy circles" always occur in similar conditions - in soil with low nitrogen content and in areas with an average of less than 200 mm of rainfall per year.
"Our study provides evidence that 'magic circles' are much more common than previously thought. It will help us to understand for the first time the factors that influence their spread," said study co-author Manuel Delgado-Bacerizo.
Even more intriguingly, the team of scientists found that plant growth in areas with "fairy circles" was more significant and stable than without them. According to ecologists, the results are the first evidence of the circles' increased productivity.
These findings can help us better understand these strange patterns and their role in the ecosystems of arid regions, the publication writes.
As a reminder, 5000-year-old penguin mummies have started to appear in Antarctica due to snow melting.
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