These are the oldest handwritten notes from one of my ancestors. It was my great-great-great-grandfather who recorded the birth of my great-great-grandmother Margarete's eldest sister Magdalena in July 1815. The notes continued until 1882. In 1877, for example, the birth of my great-grandmother Katharina was recorded. It was written in a family Bible, and the writing is Kurrent script - an old form of German-language handwriting based on late medieval cursive writing. Thanks to artificial intelligence, I have now managed to decipher all of the notes and can add to my family tree.

Because it was a patriarchal system, the male heads of the family usually kept important records. I don't know his name, but it says "22. Julius was born our Magdalena. The newborn child is a female." (orig.: "22. Julius ist unsere Magdalena zur Welt geboren. Das neugeborene Kind ist eine Weibsperson.") so I know that the author was also a parent of my great-great-grandmother Margarete in 1830.

The Europaturm ("Tower of Europe") seen from the Niddapark in Frankfurt-Hausen. Above me is the A66 motorway with some murals on the bridge pillars. The Europaturm is the second highest (337.5 m) telecommunications tower in Germany. I was up there a few times in my childhood, but the visitor area has been closed since 1999. Here the tower is not usually called Europaturm, but Ginnheimer Spargel ("Ginnheim asparagus"). The Niddapark is a place I like to visit in the summer. Not far from the bridge there is a public fitness park where you can torture your sloth 😁

I am a great ape! 🐵🍌

Even in my childhood I was interested in the systematic classification of living things. I was given a set of a few thousand information cards. There was a picture on the front and information on the back. There was also a large index card box. I sorted all living things according to their relationship. Humans and their ancestors were listed in a separate family, which was next to the great apes. However, this made no sense to me. The fact that chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than to orangutans told me that they must at least be in the same family, or each should have their own family.

When I was at school, humans were not considered great apes. The idea that humans are just apes is still met with a lot of rejection today. But not in science, where, based on genetic research, humans are listed in a common family, the great apes (Hominidae), together with the orangutan, gorilla and chimpanzee species.

Many people, even those who are inclined towards scientific explanations of evolution, have a problem with this because they see it as a threat to the uniqueness and specialness of humans.

I often argued with my mother that humans are animals. She - who studied biology - was strictly against this. She said that humans have unique characteristics and abilities and that the mind is something that separates us from animals. A widely held view - still today. I do not share this. Humans are animals and, like every animal species, humans have special abilities. The mental abilities that were once only attributed to humans have long been observed in other animal species - albeit in different ways: self-knowledge, logic, language, culture, grief and more. But the idea that animals are similar to us in their perception and thinking is a tough pill for humanity to swallow.

The Peace Linden in Bommersheim 🌳🕊

My name also has a connection to peace, because Frederic is of Germanic origin and means "peaceful ruler" or "peaceful king." It's derived from the elements "frid," meaning "peace," and "ric," meaning "ruler" or "king." 🫅🕊

My surname "Hilpert" is of German origin as well. It is derived from the Middle High German personal name "Hildebert," which combines the elements "hild," meaning "battle," and "berht," meaning "bright" or "famous." So, "Hilpert" likely originated as a patronymic surname, meaning "son of Hildebert." However, there are other possible explanations for the origin of my surname.

🌳👨‍👩‍👧‍👧

Sacred Tree: In Germanic mythology, the linden tree was considered sacred and was often associated with Freya, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. It was believed to possess protective and healing properties.

Community and Justice: The linden tree often stood in the center of villages and towns in Germanic regions, serving as a meeting place for gatherings, judicial proceedings, and social events. The idea was that the linden tree symbolized community, peace, and fairness.

Protection and Love: It was also thought to offer protection against evil spirits and to bring good luck. In folklore, linden trees were associated with love and fidelity, with many stories and songs linking the tree to romantic themes.

Healing Properties: The linden tree was renowned for its medicinal properties. Its flowers, leaves, and wood were used in various remedies to treat ailments such as colds, headaches, and anxiety, emphasizing its role in nurturing and healing.

Relaxed Saturday 🫠🌞

🪻The gradual flowering of the garden lupine allows for extended pollination periods, maximizing resource utilization. As the plant blooms over time, it attracts pollinators and ensures continuous reproduction.

Additionally, the symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria enriches the soil with nitrogen, enhancing its fertility. The chemical signals from the plant's roots attract Rhizobium bacteria, which transform into bacteroids within root nodules. These bacteroids receive nutrients from the plant and, in return, convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients such as ammonia, benefiting both the plant and the soil ecosystem. This symbiosis contributes to the productivity of the garden lupine and its surrounding environment.

However, this popular neophyte tends to become wild and its rapid and widespread growth can alter native ecosystems and lead to a loss of biodiversity. It can displace native species as it takes up space and water. Its ability to make nutrient-poor soils more fertile can contribute to the loss of habitats that depend on nutrient-poor soils.

Habitats that are low in nutrients include dry and poor grasslands, dunes and heathlands. These biotopes are home to unique species that only live there. Non-native species contribute to their loss and over-fertilization is one of the biggest problems.

👻 A mysterious dusk atmosphere two weeks ago in Niddapark in Frankfurt am Main.

💧The ability of the fog drops to float is based on their small diameter, low mass and high air resistance in relation to the force of gravity. Together with the movement of the air, this ensures that the drops remain in the air and form fog. There are about 100 to 500 million drops per cubic meter of fog. These drops scatter the light in all directions, which is why it appears bright and is difficult to see through.

Drop it like it's hot 💩

A mirid bug (Deraeocoris ruber) defecates on a hemp leaf. In fact, insect excrement is about as warm as its surroundings.

The last days of May were marked by a mix of sunshine and rain showers. Sparkling pearls dance on the leaves of the garden lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus). A beautiful spectacle that inspires admiration and reflection. The plant not only lets the drops roll off, but also collects them. All the light and water flows together and forms a large whole. These radiant pearls clean the leaf surface and are then passed on to the roots. It is native to the oceanic mountain meadows of North America, where the weather is very changeable, including fog and dry periods, so this adaptation could be an advantage. However, its abilities (which go far beyond this) are so good that it is now an invasive species not only in other regions of North America, but worldwide. In Germany, the plant is often used for greening, as here at a road junction. However, it tends to become wild and is already listed as an invasive species. We live in a world that is constantly changing. I can only admire and revere nature, but I also feel so humble in the face of its unforeseeable development. Life is a constant coming and going. However, I am optimistic that we will find our center and return to our roots together: Earth.

Our grandparents visited me and my little brother in the children's home. Both loved animals and fed me lots of books and cakes. My grandmother was an artist and painted animal portraits with make-up on paper. She was a cousin of the German painter Rudolf Kortokraks. That's probably where my artistic streak came from. Both were politically active. My grandfather had a great sense of humor and was the son of the German founding father and humanist Dr. Werner Hilpert. Despite this, we grew up in simple living conditions. My brother and I lived in children's homes for about three years in total. My mother was homeless for 9 years. Life cannot be put into categories. The first children's home was privately financed and offered a little luxury (e.g. computer room, sauna, excursions, supplies), but we were always used as advertising figures (e.g. newspaper reports on company XY, which sponsors the children's home with a toy race track, etc.). The second children's home, where the photos were taken, was much simpler and was only able to afford modern equipment such as new furniture and computers - a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall - thanks to a generous donation from the Lions Club. Instead, we often went out into nature together to pick mushrooms and berries and learned to haggle at every opportunity. Many of the residents of the children's home were mentally handicapped. Then I made friends and learned early on what the true qualities of being human are. It is being human.