They’re not the world’s tallest or longest bridges, but a string of humble river crossings sculpted from tree roots in India are engineering marvels that contain lessons for modern architects.

They’re among some of the world’s most unusual forms of architecture: living root bridges, or suspended crossings made of aerial roots people have trained overtime to twist into a natural pathway. For ...

Photo by Doug Loyer Deb Root Shell, holding paper, gives a presentation about the Root Covered Bridge before the unveiling of the historic marker. CUTLER — The Root Covered Bridge is 139 years old and ...

If you travel through the forests of Meghalaya, Northern India, you may come across something extraordinary: bridges made from the living branches and roots of rubber trees. These often century-old ...

In the mist-shrouded hills of Meghalaya, where the skies often weep in endless rain, nature has gifted the world one of its most unique wonders—the living root bridges. These bridges, found ...

In Meghalaya's forests, living root bridges emerge from trained tree roots, connecting villages and showcasing indigenous knowledge, harmony with nature, and sustainable engineering. Less crowded and ...

Atlas Obscura on Slate is a new travel blog. Like us on Facebook, Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter @atlasobscura. In northeastern India, in one of the wettest places on earth, bridges aren't built—they ...

Living root bridges are a remarkable example of bioengineering that may be seen deep within the lush woods of Meghalaya, one of the most rain-soaked regions in India. The Khasi and Jaintia tribes ...

In the forests of Meghalaya, India, the War-Khasis people have discovered a patient way of crossing the many rivers of their wet region. By guiding the roots of an abundant species of rubber tree, ...

We had been walking for over an hour—down a steep, moss-slicked staircase cut into the hillside of Rangthylliang, a remote village in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills. The forest thickened with each ...