An 82-year-old woman was recently the first person to be buried in the "world's first living coffin". Bob Hendrikx invented the "Living Cocoon" in his student laboratory at Delft Technical University.
It is a living coffin made of mushrooms which speeds up the decomposition of a body. The "Living Cocoon" turns corpses into compost that enriches the soil thanks to mycelium.
Mycelium is the root structure of fungi found in and on soil and many other substrates.
A body in the coffin will decompose within two to three years. While the casket itself will decompose within 30 to 45 days. A traditional coffin usually takes more than ten years to decompose.
The "Living Cocoon" is the same shape and size of a traditional coffin. But it sports a pale colour lent by the mycelium and is much lighter than a wooden casket. Inside the coffin is a bed of moss where the body will be placed.
The "Living Cocoon" is cheaper than a traditional coffin, currently costing around 1,500 euros.
