The fellowship of the rings: UFO rings versus fairy rings: fungal diseases, mushrooms, fairy rings , bioluminescent fungi, and slime molds are presented as possible explanations for some UFO rings or "landing rings." - a fungus ring

"We all agree that your theory is mad. The problem which divides us is this: is it sufficiently crazy to be right?"--Niels Bohr

Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) phenomena have existed since the beginning of mankind itself; strange and unidentified objects have been seen in the skies for millennia. A "cascade" of UFO cases have been described over the years (Hynek 1972; Steiger 1976; Hendry 1979; Klass 1986; Robiou-Lamarche 1979). Nowadays, with the advances of science in fields such as astronomy, meteorology, and biology, the "flying saucers myth" is seen today with disdain by scientists for the simple reason that there is no physical evidence for it. Many UFO cases are based almost entirely on nothing more than personal observation. Although personal testimony is considered valid in any court of law, applied sciences have more rigorous standards to validate evidence. This article provides a down-to-earth explanation for the phenomenon known as "UFO landing rings" or "UFO rings."

When a UFO allegedly interacts with the environment and leaves physical or tangible evidence, some call this a "Close Encounter of the Second Kind" (or CE-2). This term was coined by the late J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer who consulted with the U.S. Air Force on Project Blue Book and was a lecturer on UFOs for more than twenty years. According to Hynek (1972) this interaction, what he called "physical trace evidence," can be with abiotic matter (marks, holes, or rings made on the ground), or with biotic matter, as when plants or animals are affected. A catalogue of more than a thousand cases in which the UFO was both seen and left physical traces have been compiled by investigators (Hynek 1972; Steiger 1976; Hendry 1979; Fuller 1997; Phillips 1999).

UFO rings fit the general description provided by Hynek (1972) as "either as circular patch (or patches), uniformly depressed, burned, or dehydrated, with an overall diameter of [about thirty feet] or more and [one foot] to [three feet] thick (the inner and outer diameters of the ring differ by that amount, while the ring itself may be quite large)." Furthermore, "the most frequently reported diameters are twenty to thirty feet" (Hynek 1972). In most cases, the rings persist for weeks or months--sometimes years--and the interior of the ring or the whole circle remains barren for three to six months (Hynek 1972; Howe 1999). Scientific explanations about the origin and implications of the UFO rings were reported by Condon (1968). He concludes, however, that the main problem with the UFO rings is the difficulty of establishing that the rings or imprints actually were made by an extraordinary object or being. The existence of an imprint of odd shape, circular area of crushed vegetation or a barren spot often can be established (figure 1). Its mere existence does not prove, however, that the markings were made by any extraterrestrial being or vehicle (Condon 1968).

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

The alleged UFO rings I have personally examined can be explained away as hoaxes, meteorological effects, and damage to plants caused by natural factors (abiotic and biotic). Abiotic factors, such as chemical and physical soil effects on plant growth, are extremely complicated; it is difficult to describe the effect of one isolated factor and ignore the influence of others. Examples of abiotic factors include mineral nutrition imbalances (Evans et al. 1991), soil alkalinity or acidity, extreme temperatures, soil humidity imbalance, pollution, and excessive fertilization (Alexander 1991). Examples of biotic factors include diseases, like those caused by insects, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, and viruses (Agrios 1997).

Take turfgrasses for example. Many rings or patches in turfgrasses are caused naturally by fungal (and/or other microorganism) diseases, which are strikingly similar to "unexplainable" UFO rings or crop rings. Fungi, which naturally occur in topsoil, may become a plant disease under certain favorable conditions (favorable to the fungus) such as stress, wounds, immunodeficiency, etc. (Alexander 1991; Agrios 1997). Fungal diseases such as snow mold (Coprinus, Typhula; figure 2); powdery mildew (Erysiphe); damping-off (Fusarium, Helminthosporium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia; figures 3 and 4); take-all or Ophiobolus patch (Gaeumannomyces; figure 5); and brown patch (Rhizoctonia) commonly infect creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and Bermudagrass, among other turfgrasses (Couch 1995; Agrios 1997; Provey and Robinson, 2001; Nieves-Rivera, 2001, in press). Photos of diseased turfgrasses presented by Couch (1995, plates 1 to 29), Evans (2000), Provey and Robinson (2001), and photos of alleged UFO rings (Robiou-Lamarche 1979; Fuller 1997; Howe 1999) are practically identical. Many of these fungal diseases form rings, spots, or circular formations similar to UFO rings. Curiously, the powdery mildew caused by the fungus Erysiphe and the damping-off of seedlings by Pythium (see figure 4) produce a white powder or filaments that cover the entire blade of the grass, reminding me of "Angel Hair." (1)