The Infinity Burial Project Seeks to Make Burials Eco-Friendly
Michael Hines — July 28, 2011 — Eco
References: newscientist & dvice
Inventor/Artist Jae Rhim Lee is attempting to breed flesh-eating mushrooms designed to make the burial process greener. The curiously named Infinity Burial Project seeks to grow what Lee is calling an "Infinity Mushroom," a mushroom that cleans toxins from the soil while eating human flesh.
According to Lee, formaldehyde, one of the main chemicals used in embalming, has been upgraded by the U.S. government to a known carcinogen (it causes cancer). Preventing a cancer-causing agent from seeping into the soil and getting people more comfortable with the idea of their own mortality is what the Infinity Burial Project is all about.
Lee is still trying to figure out which mushrooms will clean the soil best and take to human flesh quickest, with the early front-runners being shiitake and oyster mushrooms. There is no timetable on when the project will be complete, although the artist has fielded more than a few inquiries from folks willing to donate their bodies to the mushrooms. You can check out Lee in her flesh-eating mushroom suit here.
According to Lee, formaldehyde, one of the main chemicals used in embalming, has been upgraded by the U.S. government to a known carcinogen (it causes cancer). Preventing a cancer-causing agent from seeping into the soil and getting people more comfortable with the idea of their own mortality is what the Infinity Burial Project is all about.
Lee is still trying to figure out which mushrooms will clean the soil best and take to human flesh quickest, with the early front-runners being shiitake and oyster mushrooms. There is no timetable on when the project will be complete, although the artist has fielded more than a few inquiries from folks willing to donate their bodies to the mushrooms. You can check out Lee in her flesh-eating mushroom suit here.
Trend Themes
1. Eco-friendly Burial - The Infinity Burial Project aims to make burials more environmentally friendly by using flesh-eating mushrooms.
2. Toxin Removal - The project explores the use of mushrooms that can effectively clean toxins from the soil during the burial process.
3. Acceptance of Mortality - The Infinity Burial Project aims to get people more comfortable with the idea of their own mortality through its innovative approach.
Industry Implications
1. Funeral Services - The use of flesh-eating mushrooms in burials could disrupt the funeral services industry by offering a more eco-friendly and sustainable option.
2. Mushroom Cultivation - The development of mushrooms specifically bred to clean soil and consume human flesh could create disruptive opportunities within the mushroom cultivation industry.
3. Environmental Remediation - The use of mushrooms as a natural method for toxin removal could disrupt the environmental remediation industry by providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional methods.
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