For over a century, the scientific literature has credited western missionaries with “discovering” fossils in Lesotho, the small, mountainous country surrounded by South Africa. The narrative typically begins with figures like the French missionary Hermann Dieterlen, who, in 1885, reported...

The Island Lottery & Thomas Paine’s Case for Unconditionality

From storytelling to soup-making, here's how to care for yourself and your community in the colder months.

Lokolama — 4 December 2025. Greenpeace Africa has completed a community training exchange on agroecology and beekeeping in Lokolama, Equateur Province, bringing together Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) from the villages of Lokolama and Penzele. The initiative aims to...

In southern Chile’s Huellelhue River estuary, three Mapuche Huilliche communities are leading efforts to restore the natural beds of the choro mussel through a participatory governance model that brings together ancestral knowledge, science and education. Intensive harvesting during the 1990s...

The stars hold a significant place in the traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across Australia. They are embedded into the orality – in story, song, dance, and material cultur...

Series: 12 Weird Nights Episode: 5 of 12 The Invisible Language of Fairy Circles In this night’s journey, we follow a shape that appears across continents and cultures: the circle. Some circles bloom with mushrooms in rainy meadows; others form as mysterious bare patches in the deserts of Namibia and Australia. Different worlds, different origins — yet both feel intentional, almost like nature is leaving messages in the ground. In this episode, we explore what fairy circles really are, the folklore that warned people to stay away from them, the scientific theories that try to explain them, and the Indigenous knowledge that understood them long before science began asking questions. From the dancing grounds of the Fae to termite-engineered water traps, from fungal mycelium to self-organizing ecosystems, fairy circles reveal an ancient pattern hidden beneath our feet. And somewhere between myth and mathematics, we uncover the possibility that circles in nature aren’t just patterns — they’re language. Join me for a quiet, curious wander into the geometry of the earth. What We Explore: - What fairy circles actually are (fungal rings vs. desert circles) - The folklore of Europe: Fae, witches, dragons, and enchanted boundaries - Why the Philippines has no fairy circles — but similar intuitions - The science behind mushroom rings and their soil chemistry - Desert fairy circles in Namibia & Australia - Theories behind their formation: termites vs. self-organization - Indigenous knowledge and how it completes the scientific story - Why circles appear in nature, and what they might symbolize - A reflective look at how humans interpret patterns in the world 📚 Sources & Further Reading - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9780226332420 - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9780525510321 - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9780691220550 - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9780525565994 - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9781771642484 - https://bookshop.org/a/118908/9780062975621 If this episode sparked your curiosity, made you feel a little more enchanted, or reminded you of the stories hiding in plain sight—I’d love for you to stay connected with the LilWeird Universe. You can support the podcast, explore more curious content, and help keep this little world growing, glowing, and wonderfully weird. A gentle note: This episode of LilWeird Podcast is a blend of researched facts, folklore, personal reflection, and creative storytelling. While efforts were made to ensure accuracy, this episode is intended for curious exploration, not as a scientific or academic resource. Listener discretion is encouraged when interpreting historical or cultural content. 🌙 Affiliate Disclaimer Some of the links provided may be affiliate links through Bookshop.org. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the LilWeird Podcast and keeps the stories coming. Thank you for your support!

Regional Zero Waste Intermunicipal consortia and State-level circular economy

Indigenous words for fishes open a window into endangered cultures.

Young adults are learning through hands-on restoration work in the Okanagan, as they preparing historic spawning grounds for the return of sockeye salmon.