sustainability – Page 2

Harmonizing Nature, Education, Engineering and Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Educational Exploration of Engineered Living Materials, Artistry and Sustainability Using Collaborative Mycelium Brick Construction

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This study shows how middle-school students can learn science, engineering, and art together by growing and building with mycelium, a fungal material that can replace plastic and other harmful materials. Students designed shapes, created molds, cultivated living mycelium bricks under sterile conditions, and assembled them into an artistic structure. The hands-on experience helped students develop practical skills like precise measuring and 3D thinking while learning about sustainability and nature’s cycles.

Designers join scientists to make living architecture a reality

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Scientists and designers are working together to create buildings made with living organisms like yeast and fungi that can clean the air, detect hazards, and even repair themselves. These living walls work similar to plants, requiring water and nutrients while providing benefits like removing harmful chemicals and improving air quality. This approach combines nature with architecture to create healthier, more sustainable homes and buildings for the future.

Tailoring the Mechanical Properties of Fungal Mycelium Mats with Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing of PHBH and PLA Biopolymers

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Researchers have developed a new method to strengthen mushroom-based materials by using 3D printing to apply layers of plant-based plastics onto them. These reinforced materials have significantly improved strength while remaining fully biodegradable and compostable. This innovation makes fungal mycelium materials suitable for more demanding applications like flexible textiles and wearable electronics, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products.

Mycelium-Based Composites: Surveying Their Acceptance by Professional Architects

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Researchers surveyed 50 professional architects and interior designers about their views on building materials made from mycelium (the root network of fungi). While most weren’t familiar with these materials, 90% found them visually appealing after seeing examples. Interestingly, architects were more willing to use mycelium in projects for clients than in their own homes, suggesting some personal concerns about the material. Thermally processed mycelium was preferred over its natural appearance.

Research on Development and Challenges of Forest Food Resources from an Industrial Perspective—Alternative Protein Food Industry as an Example

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This research examines how forest resources can provide alternative proteins to address global food security challenges. Scientists reviewed innovations in edible insects, plant-based foods, fermented microbes, and lab-grown meat, finding promising potential but significant hurdles remaining in cost, consumer acceptance, and regulations. The study emphasizes that successful commercialization requires coordinated advances across technology, economics, culture, and policy rather than breakthroughs in any single area.

Research on Development and Challenges of Forest Food Resources from an Industrial Perspective—Alternative Protein Food Industry as an Example

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As the global population grows, we need new sources of protein to feed everyone sustainably. Scientists are developing four main types of alternative proteins from forests: edible insects, plants, microorganisms like mushrooms and yeast, and lab-grown meat. While these technologies show tremendous promise and are already appearing in stores, they still face challenges like high costs, safety concerns, and consumer hesitation. Solving these problems will require better research, clearer safety standards, and coordinated efforts across industries and governments.

Agricultural Waste-Derived Biopolymers for Sustainable Food Packaging: Challenges and Future Prospects

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This review explores how agricultural waste like rice husks and corn cobs can be transformed into eco-friendly packaging materials to replace harmful plastic. Currently, most plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and cause serious environmental damage, but biopolymers derived from farm waste are completely biodegradable. The article discusses various ways to extract these materials and improve their properties, while identifying remaining challenges that need to be solved before widespread commercial adoption.

Extracted Spent Coffee Grounds as a Performance-Enhancing Additive for Poly(Lactic Acid) Biodegradable Nursery Bags in Agriculture

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This research developed eco-friendly nursery bags by combining biodegradable plastic (PLA) with leftover coffee grounds. The coffee grounds, which would otherwise be waste, improve the plastic’s flexibility and help it break down faster in soil. The resulting bags protect plant roots from sunlight while safely degrading in the environment within a few months, offering farmers a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic bags.

Cross-linking impacts the physical properties of mycelium leather alternatives by targeting hydroxyl groups of polysaccharides and amino groups of proteins

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Scientists developed a leather-like material made from mushroom mycelium by treating it with chemical cross-linkers similar to those used in traditional leather tanning. The best results came from using glutaraldehyde, which chemically bonded to the mycelium’s proteins and carbohydrates, creating a stronger and more durable material. While the mycelium leather now has comparable strength to conventional leather, it needs to be more flexible. This research offers a more environmentally sustainable alternative to animal leather.

The Fungus Among Us: Innovations and Applications of Mycelium-Based Composites

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Mycelium-based composites are eco-friendly building materials made by growing mushroom fungus on agricultural waste like sawdust and straw. These materials are lightweight, provide excellent insulation and soundproofing, and are much more sustainable than synthetic alternatives. However, they absorb water easily and aren’t strong enough for load-bearing structures, making them best suited for insulation and non-structural panels.

Research Keyword: sustainability