MycoGravity

Life on Earth has evolved in constant relation to gravity, yet we rarely consider how deeply it shapes living systems, until we imagine a place without it. Fungi sense gravity through gravitropism, guiding the growth of fruiting bodies, though the mechanisms behind it remain largely unknown. In MycoGravity, pink oyster mushrooms grow inside a custom-built bioreactor mounted on a KUKA robotic arm. Inspired by NASA’s random positioning machines, the robot’s programmed movement simulates altered gravity. Over time, sculptural mushrooms emerge, shaped by their environment without a stable gravitational direction. Sensors and cameras monitor environmental conditions and fungal activity in the bioreactor. The floating bioreactor rotating in space becomes a living sculpture. Visitors can follow their transformation via real-time data online. MycoGravity explores what it means to bring terrestrial life into unfamiliar environments, and how life might continue to respond, delicately and unexpectedly.