PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, TYLER COVERDALE & JEN GUYTON
Parts of the Namib desert are covered in “fairy circles,” patches of empty earth surrounded by plants. There are many myths about the origins of these strange patches: Some believe they are the footprint of gods or the result of poisonous dragon breath. Scientists have proposed two more plausible explanations—either termite colonies fighting for their share of greenery, or a case of resource competition between plants. Now, a study published Wednesday (January 18) in Nature suggests that both mechanisms may be at play.
“This is a classic thing in ecology where debates will emerge and go on for decades,” coauthor Rob Pringle, an ecologist at Princeton University, told the Washington Post. “And the resolution after all that time is usually, 'Well, it's a little bit ...
