Fairy Rings

Hank noticed something mysterious in the park one day. Fairy rings: are they mystical portals to another realm? Or could there be another, more scientific, explanation?

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[bullsquid]

Nah, I still like the portal to the fairy world explanation better.
I'll go with that.

[naomibousson]

In Belgium they are called 'Heksenkringen' or witch rings. The myth goes that where a witch ring appeared, witches have been dancing and performing rituals the night before.

[everythinggeorgia]

So long as the faeries don't take my brother to the faerie kingdom to serve Oberon I have no issue with them making weird mushroom circles

[VioletMoonfox]

That's what the fae want mortals to think.

[Reflix]

But you didnt explain, why rings! Why not random squiggly lines??

[PlopRS]

Everyone knows fairy rings are a transportation method unlocked after the Fairy Tale part II quest.

[kestasmal]

"Sometimes it can feel like science is poo-pooing on the mystical and the fantastical, but in my opinion, there is more depth of beauty in a fantasy of the real." - Hank Green
Prety good quote :)

[oma]

Yup we often (every 2-3 years) have fairy rings in our front lawn at my parent's house. Very weird to observe. Can only imagine what they conceive thousands of years ago before modern knowledge and science. Thanks, Hank!

[adenkranz]

Me: The thought of fairies brings back bad memories....
Navi: -HEY! LISTEN!
Me: OH DEAR GOD NO!

[Phats]

"There's more depth of beauty in the fantasy of the real"
That was beautiful good sir. Hope you don't mind if I use that from time to time.

[pharoahcaraboo]

A fairy ring grew in my next door neighbors yard. There wouldn't otherwise be anything weird about it, but rather hauntingly coincidentally, the fairy ring grew up around where their dogs had died after getting left out in the drought heat for too long.

[Swingaway]

If you walk into the center with a Dramen staff it will take you to the lost city of Zanaris.

[FinkyLee]

I knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who new a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy's COUSIN... WHO SAW A SEA BEAR!!! They drew a circle around them to protect themselves and that my friends, is how the fairy ring (originally the sea bear circle) WAS BORN!!!

[saltedcaramel]

So you can't spin in the circle and collect star bits like in Super Mario Galaxy?

[omnipotent_gaming]

Fungi is such a fun guy! I'll see myself out now.

[ooloncolluphid]

Well said. I find just as much beauty, mystery and wonder by looking into the science as I would any fantasy novel (not that I don't like those, mind you).

[anarchoutis]

As a gardener, I see a lot of these in the autumn. Often in a part of the lawn where there used to be a tree, so the fungus is presumably living off of the dead roots.

[thesmith]

I love this show because he does such a great job of describing the subject in Layman's terms, and ways we can relate. This is a great show!

[grahamwood]

when i had a small farm in Tasmania I had a mushroom rings in the side paddock about 20m across and some of the mushrooms would be the size of a dinner plate and good eating

[runecoop]

Runescapes fairy rings were pretty helpful.