Magdalena Thur

The Resomation of Fungal tissue

Could fungi provide the future fabric for death shrouds?

Mediamatic's search for vegan fabric that could be used in Resomation, an environmentally friendly alternative burial method, led to testing fungal material.

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Glass jars containing fungal material, prepared for Resomation test (Alkaline Hydrolysis) - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

What happens to our bodies after death?

When choosing Resomation as a burial method, the answer is just as fascinating as it might give you the shivers: In this process, the human body is dissolved in lye, a highly alkaline fluid. Only bones will remain after being pressure-cooked for a couple of hours, while every other body tissue will have liquified.

Resomation is a low-energy, space-saving and environmentally friendly way to return the compounds of the human body into the earth's material cycles. The resulting effluent is loaded with nutrients that make it a powerful fertilizer, and the Carbon footprint is significantly smaller than, e.g. in Cremation.

However, one catch remains: Fibrous plant-based fabrics – including common clothing materials like cotton – do not dissolve completely in the Resomation process. Hence, animal-based fabrics like silk and wool usually are employed for clothing the Deceased for their resomation burial.

To find a viable non-animal alternative, Mediamatic's Clean Lab team set out to research which fabrics could be used as a shroud in resomation burials. Being fungi-lovers, testing mushroom-based tissue for its potential was a must. And the results are surprising!

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The Team in front of the Clean Lab conducting the Resomation Test - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

First, various samples were assembled: Besides four types of mushrooms (Rhizopus oligosporus, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus eryngii), a chicken thigh went into one of the jars as well to verify the proper setup of the trial. 

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Resomation Test sample tissues in glass jars on metal tray - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

Then, the Potassium-Hydroxide was measured and mixed with demineralized water, resulting in a highly alkaline lye with a pH of 13,95.

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Measuring Potassium-Hydroxide for mixing the lye - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

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Mixing Potassium-Hydroxide with de-mineralized water - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

The jars holding the samples were filled with lye and closed off with heat-resistant plastic and a cotton rope.

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Pouring lye into jars holding samples for Resomation test - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

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Closing the sample jars with cotton rope - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

The samples then were placed into a stainless-steel pressure cooker and cooked at high pressure for 1,5 hours.

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Placing glass jars into pressure cooker pot - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

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Heating up pressure cooker in outdoor setting - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

After cooling down, the test jars were collected from the cooker.

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Collecting the resomated samples from pressure cooker - Elizabeth Vasilyeva

Our control sample – the chicken thigh – almost wholly dissolved in the lye, leaving only small pieces of brittle bone.

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The remains of a chicken thigh after Resomation - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

In contrast to animal tissue, the mushroom samples remained surprisingly intact.

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Lifting shiitake mushroom sample out of its jar after resomation - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

Here is what the Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) fruiting body looked like after being pressure-cooked in strong lye: unimpressed!

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Shiitake mushroom sample after Resomation test - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

A piece of King Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) also survived, almost undestroyed. 

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A piece of King Oyster mushroom after Resomation test - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

Similarly, the mycelium of Grey Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) grown on wheat spelt endured the unfavourable conditions of the test.

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Oyster Mushroom Mycelium grown on spelt, after Resomation test - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

Last but not least, even the two Tempeh samples came out of the lye cooker a little tanned but otherwise highly intact.

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Tempeh pieces after resomation, being neutralized with Vinegar - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

The liquids were still highly alkaline. However, after adding sufficient water for dilution, they are non-hazardous and can safely be discarded via the sewage system.

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Checking the pH with indicator strip dipped in lye shows high alkalinity - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva

The Clean Lab Team, Magdalena, Nadja and Elna, is happy about gaining knowledge from the experiment. And they are amazed by the superhuman strength of mushroom and mycelium. They turned into even bigger fans of fungi.

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Clean Lab team is happy about failed experiment - Part of the experiment "The resomation of fungal tissue" Elizabeth Vasilyeva