Remember the nursery rhyme London Bridge is falling down? In each verse the bridge is built by a new and stronger material. A variety of materials ranging from wood to metal to concrete have been used to build bridges over time. But none are as intriguing as the ariel roots of rubber fig trees used in northeast India.
A living root bridge is formed by guiding the pliable roots of the ficus elastica tree across a stream or river, and then allowing the roots to grow and strengthen over time until they can hold the weight of a human being.
Under ideal conditions, the Wikipedia page says, that the bridges can last hundreds of years. Now that's fascinating, isn't it?
As for generation gaps, we'll make sure Nina and Nana don't find a bridge, so the cartoons can continue forever.
See Lavanya's take on these real life whomping willows, as she calls them, here.
