Mycowood: A New Era for Instruments

<p>Hear that...? Fungal violins have entered the music scene. This technology, known as <em>Mycowood, </em>uses fungi to partially degrade wood used to make violins; and it results in superior acoustics. We are joined by the scientist behind these innovative fungal projects, Dr. Javier Ribera, who is a materials scientist at EMPA with specialties in cellulose and wood materials. Javier walks us through the creation of Mycowood technology, and how this unique application could evolve in further wood-based design.</p><p><b>Topics Covered:</b></p><ul><li>The inspiration for creating Mycowood</li><li>How climate change is physically altering our lumber supply</li><li>The history, theory, and materials science of the famous Stradivarius Violin</li><li>Wood as a material for resonance, and how fungi can be used to engineer the acoustics</li><li>The three fungi tested by EMPA for Mycowood including <em>Schizophyllum commune</em>, <em>Physisporinus vitreus</em>, and <em>Xylaria spp</em>.</li><li>Processes of creating Mycowood</li><li>The current availability of Mycowood technologies</li></ul><p><b>Show notes:</b></p><p>Dr. Javier Riberia’s Research Gate: <a href='https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Javier-Ribera-2'>https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Javier-Ribera-2</a></p><p>Interview with Francis Schwarze: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H_-CRuzWY'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H_-CRuzWY</a></p><p>EMPA Website:<a href='https://www.empa.ch/'>https://www.empa.ch/</a></p><p>Violino ai funghi (Fungal Violin): <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlICRNzPoic'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlICRNzPoic</a></p><p>EMPA Report on Mycowood for Violins: <a href='https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/mycowood-violin?inheritRedirect=true'>https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/mycowood-violin?inheritRedirect=true</a></p><p>BIotech Stradivari: <a href='https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10097'>https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10097</a></p><p>Mycowood Violins in the NY Times: <a href