(no subject)

[arethinn]

(content warnings: references to death/funerary practices; possibly body horror)

http://infinityburialproject.com/

The Infinity Burial Project proposes alternatives for the postmortem body that promote and facilitate an individual engagement with the process of decomposition. The Project features the development of a unique strain of mushroom that decomposes and remediates toxins in human tissue, the development of a decomposition ‘kit’, burial suits embedded with decomposition activators, an open source burial container, and a membership society devoted to the promotion of death awareness and acceptance and the practice of decompiculture (the cultivation of decomposing organisms).

I think this is a pretty cool idea, although I'm a bit wary of introducing whatever mushroom species they use into a burial site without proper consideration of whether it could cause problems; perhaps it could be generalized. Sounds sort of like those various cremation urns that grow trees, although it always seemed to me that those still involved the problems with modern cremation, like use of fossil fuels.

(I'm still not sure what the objection is to burying a body directly in the ground without any kind of treatment. Is it potential contamination of groundwater? Sky burial, anyone?)

Comments

[nicanthiel]

Well, one problem I can think of is the concept of every body must have its own perfectly sized and maintained plot, especially when the ensuing necropoleis eat away at arable or wild land. This was less a problem with traditional interring methods like mass graves, family graves or catacombs.

[nicanthiel]

Although, reading your question another way, the "problem" with burying people without lead-lined coffins and pumped full of formaldehydes is two-fold - some lingering twisted reaction against the Christian idea of bodily resurrection (who wants to be resurrected just a skeleton, or, worse, rotting zombie corpse?) and the morbid phobia and rejection of aging, death and decay that pervades most of Western culture.

[arethinn]

Well, I'm sure part of the reason people don't is just squick, yes; but I was wondering if there was a practical reason not to.

[arethinn]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I was picturing something rather different from "normal" graveyards, more like burying bodies in very separated, even isolated locations - just, directly in the ground.

[coyotegoth]

Complete off-topic question (which I'm posting here because if I do in fact have your email, I don't remember that I do): would you be OK with a spot of Harry Potter-themed geekery, such as we used to engage in back in the day? I've got an AU-Book 7 fic (as in, not Deathly Hallows-compliant) that I'm blowing the dust off of that could greatly benefit from your expert brainstorming. coyote dot goth at gmail dot com or here to reply, please.

How are you?