- Old Coast, New Coast: Doha, Qatar (hakaimagazine.com)
In the Neolithic, 10,000 years ago, this entire shore would have been underwater. At that time, the coastline was two meters higher. This wet period brought the first known occupation of Qatar and archaeologists occasionally find the dark brown rock tools of the people who took advantage of this brief climactic window—and the concurrent flourishing of life—to spread across Arabia.
- Reynoutria japonica (wikipedia.org)
Reynoutria japonica, synonyms Fallopia japonica and Polygonum cuspidatum, is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae. Common names include Japanese knotweed and Asian knotweed. It is native to East Asia in Japan, China and Korea. In North America and Europe, the species has successfully established itself in numerous habitats, and is classified as a pest and invasive species in several countries.