In Estonia, cotton underwear almost completely decomposed in soil in 12 weeks
At the Tori horse farm near Pärnu in Estonia, cotton underwear buried in the soil almost completely decomposed in 12 weeks. After excavation, only the elastic waistband and a few threads remained from one pair, ERR News reports.
Experiment at the Tori farm
On June 16, the Estonian Agricultural Museum buried two pairs of cotton underwear at a shallow depth on the grounds of the farm, located about 30 kilometers from Pärnu. The aim of the experiment was to assess soil activity and demonstrate that it is a “living” environment.
After 12 weeks, the underwear was dug up. According to museum head Kadri Valner, only a very small fragment remained of the control pair, while the other pair retained an elastic waistband and a few threads. The result came as a surprise to the experiment’s participants.
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A sign of soil activity
Valner noted that the significant decomposition of the fabric indicates good soil quality at the site and a large number of microorganisms that accelerate the process. During the excavation, many earthworms and other microorganisms were also seen there.
A similar experiment was conducted at the Jakobson Museum in Kurgja, also in Pärnu County, as well as in Ülenurme near Tartu. The results will be compared based on the rate of decomposition. The exhibition “Milleks mulle muld” (“Why Do I Need Soil”) at the Estonian Agricultural Museum in Ülenurme is set to open on September 18. If anything remains of the underwear from the other locations, the remnants will be dried, cleaned and may be displayed at the exhibition.
