馬桶上的我，發現衛生紙還沒長好 Mushroom Toilet Paper
馬桶上的我，發現衛生紙還沒長好 Mushroom Toilet Paper
陳苡瑄、陳旻熙
2024 / 生物藝術 / 香菇、影像
人一天平均約用掉5.5公尺的廁用捲筒衛生紙，大約四天會用完一捲。粉紅側耳菇（玫瑰菇）適合生長在20~33℃陰暗濕熱的環境，一年四季皆可出菇，二至三週即可採收。由於菇的生長環境與廁所相似，且生長模式比樹木快且穩定，而在菇類中又以粉紅側耳菇生長最為快速，因此選擇以粉紅側耳菇作為新型態衛生紙的材料。
雖然菇類生長相對樹木快速，但仍不足人在四天內用完一捲衛生紙的速度。為了克服生長速度的問題，參考竹子節間生長的模式，將竹子的WGD基因（全基因组加倍基因）轉殖入粉紅側耳菇中，而這種能快速生長的菇類名為「迅菇」。迅菇生長初期會與竹子一樣長出節點，各節點皆有居間分生組織，在生長高峰期時便能快速生長，且自動分段，如同廁所捲筒衛生紙般能分段取用。
本團隊也開發了一款適合迅菇衛生紙生長的衛生紙架，以配合這款新型態衛生紙在生活中的應用。此衛生紙架的軸是適合迅菇生長的木屑，且配有自動捲軸器，透過量測香菇的重量便發觸發軸的轉動，讓迅菇生長完成後即是一捲衛生紙。
A person uses about 5.5 meters of toilet paper per day, finishing a roll in four days. Pink oyster mushrooms grow fast in warm, humid, and dark environments—similar to a bathroom—and can be harvested in 2–3 weeks. As one of the fastest-growing fungi, they were chosen as a sustainable alternative to traditional toilet paper.
To speed up growth, we introduced bamboo’s WGD gene into the mushroom, creating a new strain called “Rapidus.” Like bamboo, it grows in segments, allowing it to naturally form tearable sections—just like toilet paper.
We also designed a special holder made with sawdust for the mushroom to grow on. When the mushroom reaches a certain weight, an auto-spooling mechanism activates, rolling it into a ready-to-use toilet paper roll.
