briery

These amazing photographs of the dead from around the world are the work of Jack Burman. You can visit his gallery here [X]

Tibetan sky burial
is a funeral practice in which a human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while exposed to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially carrion birds.

“A single acre of soil can contain 2,400 pounds of fungi,
1,500 pounds of bacteria, 900 pounds of earthworms, 890 pounds of
arthropods and algae, and 133 pounds of protozoa. The soil teems with
life, as does the dead body (inside its sausage casing of keratin, or
dead skin). Microscopic sorcery takes place when a body is placed just a
few feet deep in the soil. Here, trillions of bacteria living inside
you will liquefy your innards. When the built-up pressure breaks the
seal of skin an orgiastic reunion takes place, in which our bodies merge
with the earth.
We owe our very lives to the soil, and, as William Bryant Logan said,
“the bodies we give it back are not payment enough.” Though, presumably,
they are a start.”

— From Here to Eternity, by Caitlin Doughty

🌿 əpnʇılos 🌿

The Rio
Caño Cristales – most colorful river (caused by algae and moss seen through the water), Colombia.

The Wonder Spot was a popular Wisconsin tourist attraction that was open from 1949 until 2006 before being demolished. It featured a small cabin at the edge of a ravine and was advertised as “a place where the normal rules of gravity do not apply”. Sure enough, if you were to travel to The Wonder Spot, you’d find it impossible to stand up straight. Water ran backwards and in strange, swirling motions and it was possible to balance chairs and tables on two legs. It was very difficult to walk properly, as you would be met with a strange weightless feeling, as if you were walking on the moon. This story is certainly freaky and there aren’t many definite explanations for this strange phenomena. Tour guides merely attributed the lack of gravity to igneous rock formations, which makes it even more fascinating.

People often think of fire as a
destructive force, and it can be. But fire also rejuvenates the land.
Many grasses have evolved root systems that survive fires so they can be
renewed, and some trees and other plants have seeds that only germinate
after a fire has come through. Plus fires clean out old dead wood and
other debris, making it easier for fresh plant life to grow.

TIL
that traumatic experiences in childhood have long-term health effects
on people and have a strong correlation with health issues in adulthood.

via reddit.com

A bioluminescent ghost mushroom found in Australia. The species is Omphalotus Nidiformis. It was found along the Box Vale Mine walking track in Mittagong, New South Wales. Credit: PetarBphotography

Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong, c.1989

The Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong was built gradually—building
on top of building—over time. Without a single architect, the ungoverned
and most densely populated district became a haven for drugs, crime and
prostitution until it was demolished in 1993. Photo documentation of
the site exists but for the most part much of the inner-workings of the
city remained a mystery.

Perhaps due to its proximity, Japan, in particular, developed a
keen interest towards Kowloon. Its demolition in 1993 was broadcast on
national television. But watching the footage, what most spectators
didn’t realize was that up until the night before demolition a team of
Japanese researchers were taking precise measurements and documenting
the vacated city. Their findings were compiled into a book that, among
other things, featured this panoramic cross section of the city
depicting what life was like inside. You can read more about the book
on Spoon & Tamago, and if you look hard enough, a few rare copies of
it are available online.