Adragonlivesunderthesandinadesert.Itbreathesoutapoisonousgas.Thegasbubblesup.Itburnscirclesofbaredirtinthe grass.
Noonehasseenthisdragon.Yet,somepeopleinsouthernAfricasayit’sthere.It’showtheyexplainthestrangecirclesthatthey see.
Searching
foraCause
Scientistsdon’tbelieveindragons.Whatelsemightcausethecircles?NorbertJuergenswantstosolvethismystery.He’sabiologist.Hehasstudied1,200circles.Heasksquestions.Whatmakesthecirclesthesame?Whatmakesthemdifferentfromeach other?
NorbertJuergensandhiswife,Irmel,collectweatherdataneara circle.
strange circles
Circlesofbaredirtareseeninthisdesertinsouthern Africa.
Africa
NamibDesert
sand termites
CommonClues
Hetestedthedirt.Hemeasuredtheamountofwaterinthedirt.Hemadealistofplantsandanimalsinthecircles.Hechartedthe weather.
Thenhestudiedhisdata.Hewaslookingforthe thingsthatmadethecirclesthe same.
MysterySolved
Juergensfoundsomethingsurprising.Indryweather,thegrassaroundthecirclesseemedhealthy.Hewonderedwhy.Thenhefoundwetsandundereachcircle.Thewaterinthesandkeptthegrass alive.
Healsofoundtermitesundereachcircle.Hethinksthetermiteseatthegrassroots.Thatkillsthegrass.Itleavesbehindacircleof dirt.
Whenrainsoaksintothedirt,thetermitesdrinkthewater.Thegrasssoaksupthewater.That’showthegrassstaysalive.Mystery solved!
AviewfromaboveshowsthecirclesintheNamib Desert.