Throughout history, humanity has been faced with many mysteries that even the cleverest of scientists have yet to solve. No matter which continent you find yourself in, you likely live near a region containing strange and unexplained geological formations. Many Americans may think that they are an exception among the rule in this regard, as very few citizens can name a single geological site in the US that attracts the attention of scientists. However, this is not the case, as one strange geological formation in the state of Washington proves. A prairie that is located outside of Olympia has been gathering fascination for one hundred and fifty years on account of the many unexplained hillocks that are distributed in a seemingly uniform manner across the countryside. One spectator described the strange site as being reminiscent of a field of bubble wrap, with each hillcock being a carefully placed bubble. These formations are known as the “Mima Mounds”, and researchers are beginning to think that termites created the mounds thousands of years ago. Although the termite theory is only one possible cause out of many that have been put forth over the years, scientific evidence is beginning to stack up in favor of the termite theory.
Washington is not the only area where these odd mounds have been found. In South Africa millions of mima-like mounds scatter the landscape. These mounds are notable not just for their mysterious existence, but also because of the ecological phenomena that the mounds represent. These mounds in Washington and South Africa are made of soil that is far more nutrient-rich than the soil that surrounds the mounds. Somehow, these hills full of rich soil have formed in locations that contain only barren soil. As you may already know, mound-building termites convert barren dirt into fertile soil. Mound-building termites then use this fertile soil for mound-building material. Modern day termite mounds are also distributed in an orderly manner, much like the Mima Mounds. Due to the similarities between modern termite mounds and the Mima Mounds, many experts now believe that the mysterious Mima Mounds were created by ancient mound-building termites that used to reside in what is now Washington State. Over time, these mounds have gathered sediment and vegetation, making them appear as several orderly hills. One thing is for sure, the mounds were not made by ancient aliens.
Do you think that the Mima Mounds were most likely formed by termites? Or are other animals responsible for the mound formations?
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