Research
The project examines how mycelia and bacteria collaborate to degrade synthetic plastics: fungi such as Pestalotiopsis microspora metabolize plastic in oxygen-limited environments, while bacteria like Ideonella sakaiensis secrete PETase enzymes that break it into monomers. By examining how these organisms collaborate to break down synthetic plastics, the project rethinks cycles of waste and asks how these processes might inspire alternatives to single-use manufacturing and extractive production.
Question
In what ways can we rethink our reliance on single-use plastic cycles?
Outcome
The work resulted in a scientific illustrated publication, wet lab research,
conducted research at a Material Recovery Facility & public lecture.
Publication
The result is the translation of invisible microbial adaptation into visual narrative, scientific data into story, and environmental research into urgent metaphor.
Wet-Lab Documentation
The result is the translation of invisible microbial adaptation into visual narrative, scientific data into story, and environmental research into urgent metaphor.
Material Recovery Facility
The research explores how these plastispheres ecosystems mirror human dependence on plastics and reveals how plastic reshapes life at micro and macro scales.