MycoGravity: A Robotic Installation for Observing Fungal Growth Under Altered Gravity Conditions

MycoGravity is an artistic research project that explores how fungi grow and behave under altered gravitational conditions. At its centre is a robotic installation that simulates microgravity and partial gravity by moving a bioreactor containing living mycelium (Pleurotus pulmonarius) using a KUKA Quantec robotic arm. Inside this chamber, environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, CO₂, and bioelectrical activity are monitored using custom sensors and microcontrollers. A logging system records changes over time, enabling close observation of the mycelium’s response to mechanical and environmental influences.

Fungi possess the ability to sense gravity, which is a phenomenon known as gravitropism. Fruiting bodies use this ability to grow upright, ensuring correct orientation for spore release. Yet, the mechanisms by which fungi sense and respond to gravity are not yet fully elucidated. MycoGravity offers a space to observe this response outside of the Earth's constant gravitational field. By rotating the mycelium chamber continuously or placing it into programmed patterns of movement, we can disrupt gravitational orientation and study the resulting behavioural changes. The mushrooms that grow under these conditions take on sculptural forms shaped by their environmental experience. These forms are exhibited as gravity-shaped sculptures.

This artwork contributes to ongoing conversations in astromycology, biosensing, and sustainable design, while also offering a material and visual encounter with the possibilities of shared adaptation between living systems and engineered environments. MycoGravity invites reflection on how we might engage with non-human life in unfamiliar settings such as outer space, through care, curiosity, and attention.