FUTURE of FOOD: "Algaculture"

April 08, 2021

Near future algaculture symbiosis suit

Algaculture, 2010

Keywords: after agriculture, alternative ways to fuel the body, human algae symbiosis, altered food system, exhibition

Alternative ways to fuel the body
Algaculture designs a new symbiotic relationship between humans and algae. It proposes a future where humans will be enhanced with algae living inside new bodily organs, allowing us to be semi-photosynthetic. Almost enabling us to become plant-like by gaining food from light. As such, we will be symbionts (meaning that both entities entirely depend on each other for survival), entering into a mutually beneficial relationship with the algae.

Algaculture

Why design new food on what we have now, when we could re-design how we fuel the body altogether?

Far future new bodily organs
This scenario is, among other sources, inspired by the work of scientists Debora MacKenzie and Michael Le Page who wrote about photosynthetic creatures, or what they call “plantimals” in the New Scientist (2010). Such photosynthetic organisms currently include lichen, sea slugs and salamanders that welcome algae into their bodies, in a partnership called endosymbiosis.

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