The Day in Photos – January 20, 2017, Part 1/2

In this photo provided by Jen Guyton, one of the mysterious “fairy circles” in the Namib desert that dot the area with circular barren patches. Paranormal powers like fairies and even dragon breath have been credited with creating them. But Princeton University ecologists have come up with a much less shadowy – and maybe less charming – explanation for what's afoot. Using computer simulations, they say an intricate combination of animals and plants cooperating and competing help explain the unusual patterns, according to a study in the journal Nature Wednesday. Corina Tarnita, the study's lead author, calls it “simple and elegant geometry on such enormous scale”. Until this study, there were two competing explanations: Termites created the pattern or plants surrounding the circles did it. Tarnita's theory borrows from both. The giant circles – from six to 100 feet in diameter – are mostly from termites that cooperate with others in their colony, but compete against other colonies, she said. The unusual patterns seen between circles are plants that establish an orderly root system so they don't compete too much for limited water. (Photo by Jen Guyton/Jenguyton.com via AP Photo)
The Day in Photos – January 20, 2017, Part 1/2
   
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