Bioengineering...Termite Style

For years circles have been appearing in the grasslands of south east Africa; these circles dot the landscape, the grass dying out within them, making for perfect circles of desolation. Generally called Faerie Circles their origins have remained unknown for some time.

However, recently a gang of German scientists uncovered the mystery. . . it wasn't a gang, just one dude, Norbert Juergens, but in for a penny in for a pound I always say . .  . . It would seem that termites have been farming. After the rain, any new grass that crops up they kill it, eating the roots. This allows the rain water to remain in the ground and the termites to want for nothing, even in the hottest of summers.  After awhile large tufts of grass grow up around the nest, living high on the water that the termites have cultivated.

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I suspect we'll be doing this for the ground water on Mars before too long.