Earlier this year, new scientific research suggested that common desert shrubs in the Euphorbia genus were creating fairy circles after they died. This research revived one of the first scientific theories from 1979 about how fairy circles are formed in the arid areas of Namibia. Another journal article published since then refutes this theory after researchers investigated the sites of dead Euphorbia bushes that were marked in the 1970s, along with other lines of evidence. Science is a continual state of exploration, which is one of its most attractive features for those with inquisitive minds. It can also be quite daunting, however, as the end results of what may be months of hard work are put on display for other scientists to pick apart and either counter or support your work. Ultimately, this is one of the great strengths of the scientific process - our colleagues prevent us from keeping favourite theories alive that are ultimately wrong. Together, we slowly approach the truth. Fairy circles - almost perfectly round, bare patches of soil ringed by dense stands of grass that are surprisingly regularly spaced across the landscape – have proven as enigmatic as their name suggests, and the hunt for what causes them is a great example of science at work. Different research teams all brought their own expertise and perspectives to bear on this mystery, using a variety of different methods to find evidence indicating what causes fairy circles. Each piece of new evidence either strengthens or weakens current theories, or suggests totally new ones for consideration. The final goal, as with all scientific endeavour, is to find one coherent theory that accounts for all of the evidence.