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Have you heard of fairy circles? They are patches of arid land surrounded by a ring, or circle of grass. They've been found in several countries, including Namibia and Australia.

For decades, scientists have debated their origin. But now new satellite images show they are far more common than thought, appearing in 15 countries across three continents.

Professor Fernando Maestre - senior co-author of the study and professor of ecology at the University of Alicante – told Newsday why fairy circles are of interest to scientists.

(Photo: Fairy circles in Namibia. Credit: Getty Images)