"Imagine a future where the plastic crisis has reached a point of no return. The year is 2110, and plastics, which were once considered a miracle material, have become an inescapable part of daily life, embedding themselves in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and even our own bodies. This is the world imagined by designer Odette Dierkx in her speculative project, The 79th Organ."
"The 79th Organ is a synthetic organ crafted from bioengineered fungi. Inspired by scientific discoveries that certain mushrooms, like the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), can digest plastic, researchers in this future scenario have engineered a living detox system. Implanted into the human body, the organ draws microplastics from the bloodstream and channels them through a specialized filter lined with fungal mycelium. Enzymes released by the mycelium break down the plastics through a process called bioremediation,"
"For years, governments and corporations turned a blind eye to the problem, dismissing it as an issue affecting only the marginalized or the Global South. But as the impacts started to reach the children of those in power, urgency replaced indifference. In this imagined future, the solution comes not from preventing pollution, but from adapting to it. This raises timely questions about accountability and real progress."
By 2110, plastics permeate air, food, and human bodies, causing birth defects, fertility problems, cancer, and immune collapse. Microplastics exist in lungs, bloodstream, brains, and placentas, making the crisis universal and inescapable. Initial denial by governments and corporations persisted until impacts reached the children of the powerful, prompting urgent responses. The adaptive solution centers on a synthetic, implantable organ built from bioengineered fungal mycelium that draws microplastics from blood and uses enzymatic bioremediation to break down plastics. The approach reframes remediation as physiological adaptation and raises questions about accountability, prevention, and genuine progress.
Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
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