Stilian Doraci’s Post

Hello May with the shiny-white honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum). Native to south Europe, it’s also found in Turkey and western Caucasus. Part of Caprifoliaceae family is a native evergreen flowering plant that mainly blooms in late spring (sq. Lule Maji or Lule Qumështi). Source by Encyclopaedia Brittanica Image captured in Tirana Botanical Garden

Scientists from the University of Glasgow revived the real face of a Neanderthal woman who lived 75,000 years ago! A circa 40 year old woman was buried in cave 75,000 years ago, laid to rest in a gully hollowed out to accommodate her body. Her left hand was curled under her head, and a rock behind her head may have been placed as a cushion. Known as Shanidar Z, or the “Woman of Iraqi” after the cave in Iraqi-Kurdistan border. She was found in 2018, and firstly pretended to be a Neanderthal, a type of ancient hominid that disappeared around 40,000 years ago. Researchers unearthed the skull parts to be very damaged and collected together more than 200 bone fragments. They used the face countours and a high level, a sophisticated computer program to guide reconstruction, to understand what she may have looked like. With pronounced brow ridges and no chins, the skulls of Neanderthals looks very different from those of nowday Homo Sapiens, as a counter argument in which; Neanderthal was predated to be our sole ancestor! Source by the University of Cambridge, UK Image by The Glasgow Times

The ancient girl whose her parents were from two different species! In 2018, researchers unveiled the incredible case of Denisova 11, a 13 year old girl who lived over 50,000 years ago and it’s the only known individual in history to have had parents from two different hominid species! According to the DNA trace analysis, her mother was a Neanderthal and her father a Denisovan, two distinct but closely related hominid groups. This relevation has shed new light on the interactions between these ancient species and raised the intriguing question about mitigation patterns and genetic exchange! In some cases, Denisova II (Denny) has been considered as thr ancient girl by the oldest genetic mixture! Source by Nature Reviews Prototype image by The Guardian

Marvellous Albanian squill flower (Scilla albanica). Is an endemic bulb-forming perennial herbaceous plant in the family of Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Native to woodlands, sub-alpine meadows, it’s also spread round southeast Europe seashores. Their low leaves are usually blue, but it’s also found in red or pink. In Albania, this kind of flower is common through limestone or serpentine Rocky Mountains of Lura and Balgjajti Lakes, in Mat Region (sq. Boçka shqiptare) Source by Albanian Electronic Register of Species Image by Encyclopaedia Britannica

Meet the loveliest anglerfish (Chaunacops coloratus). Is a deep sea lophiiform fish in the family of Chaunacidae. They are characterized with globose heads, open sensory and lateral line canals, loose skin covered by small spine-like scales. Colour, which has been noted as an important distinguishing characteristic, has generally been described as pink, reddish orange, and mainly red. Natural and distribution habitat are Eastern and Western Australia seashores. In popular science, this kind of fish, previously hasn’t been identified, as considered a cartoon character at Pokémon’s teen series. But a few of us know that Pokémon’s video creator and author was a biologist too! Source by Lundsten et al., BBC Entertainment and University of Sydney Image by NOAA Wildlife

Meet the Old World Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon)! With native habitat in Tibet, it is widely spread throughout Europe, mainly in Southern England and Normandy! Part of Papilionidae family, with more than 42 subspecies. The imago, typically, has yellow wings with black vein markings, and a wingspan of 65–86 millimetres (2.6–3.4 in). The hindwings of both sexes have a pair of protruding tails which give the butterfly its common name from the resemblance to the bird by same name. It’s a migratory butterfly presently found round mountain areas. In Albania, the Old World Swallotail is present once a year round Jezerca wide ranges and glazes into meadow flowers (sq. Flutura bisht-dallëndyshe) Source and image by UK Moths

Happy April with the European field pansy (Viola arvensis). Is a species of light violet flower in the family of Violaceae, native to Europe, Western Asia and lately introduced to the Americas. Field pansy is an herbaceous annual plant with serrated leaves, sunny oriented. Latest studies has been involved to cyclopeptides! This class of peptides, usually found in plants, lead for cytotoxic anaerobic process of cycloviolacin as an alternative to drug discovery against lung cancer. In Albania, field pansy is widely spread through western plains even ground hill villages of Rrajca and Xhyra (sq. Manushqja e arave). Source and image by British Journal of Botany

Meet the Ground-Ivy flower (Glechoma hederacea), an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It’s natural habitat is mountain-hilly vegetations, without vibrant bloom. This kind of flower has a characteristic minty odour with round-vein leaves and blue four shaped posy. Original germoplasm remains unknown, but some researchers suggests for north Wales, while English colonial settlers planted that in Australian fallow lands. In Albania, the ground-ivy was previously identified round Muzina Pass meadows (sq. Mentja dredhkë). Her areal parts of have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat colds, asthma, bronchitis, gastric diseases, diabetes, and inflammation. Source and image by Albanian Electronic Register of Species

Crested or crisate saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix Arizona. This formation is found in about 1 out of 200,000 saguaros round west side deserts. Reason why this cacti gets crested, remain unknown! Source and image by State University of Arizona

Happy Navruz Day with it’s own symbol: Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis). Part of spring evergreen flowers in the family of Asparagaceae. Western Caucasus remains its oldest native land, but is also present in the Balkans. In Albania, hyacinth is predominant within mezo-fields and aquatic ponds (sq. Lule zymbyli). Source and image by Dutch Grown Aquaponics