"In 1960, David Latimer planted a spiderwort sprout inside of a large glass jar, added a quarter pint of water, and then sealed it shut. He opened the bottle for the first time only 12 years later, in 1972, to add some water and then sealed it for good. The self-contained ecosystem flourished for more than 60 years as a perfectly balanced garden and self-sufficient ecosystem. The bacteria in the compost ate the dead plants and broke down the oxygen released, turning it into carbon dioxide, essentially forming a microcosm of Earth"