Mysterious "fairy circles" spotted globally, origin still unknown

Fairy circles are ring-like barren patches surrounded by vegetation, found in over 15 countries on 3 continents.
First seen from space in 2021, scientists have studied fairy circles for decades but their cause remains a mystery.
Leading hypotheses suggest fairy circles may be formed by self-organizing plants, termites, or toxic latex from succulents.
All fairy circle sites share environmental similarities like aridity, temperature extremes, sandy soil low in nutrients.
As of September 2023, researchers have yet to conclusively determine the mechanism behind fairy circle formation.