Objects chosen by hermit in tower

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A brick from the Great Wall of China and 140-year-old honey are among the objects chosen by a hermit who is to live in isolation for 40 days.

Ansuman Biswas, 43, of London, will live in a Gothic tower at the top of Manchester Museum.

He will contemplate things "lost" and the impact of extinction.

Mr Biswas has chosen 40 objects to present to the public during his stay, including a human skull before asking for their response.

The museum has 4.5 million artefacts and Mr Biswas will live among them from Saturday until 5 August.

Box living

The other chosen objects include a now extinct St Helena giant earwig and the honey bee, a threatened species.

His only communication with the outside world will be through his internet blog as he details what life is like in seclusion.

Mr Biswas has also spent 10 days and nights without food in a cardboard box for an exhibition in London.

"I want people to re-evaluate the objects I've chosen," Mr Biswas said.

"My hope is that by contemplating loss, we may be prompted to cherish rather than destroy the rich diversity around us."

The museum has described him as "the ultimate live exhibit".