Meghalaya’s living bridges: roots that grow stronger with time

In northeast India’s Meghalaya, villagers guide rubber fig roots across rivers to grow living bridges. Over roughly 15–25 years, the roots thicken and fuse at crossings, creating spans that can support dozens of people and become stronger the longer they age. The craft is multi-generational, largely led by Khasi women, and UNESCO has added the bridges to its tentative World Heritage list as researchers note the roots’ adaptive, load-responsive growth.