Hear that...? Fungal violins have entered the music scene. This technology, known as Mycowood, 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.Topics Covered:The inspiration for creating MycowoodHow climate change is physically altering our lumber supplyThe history, theory, and materials science of the famous Stradivarius ViolinWood as a material for resonance, and how fungi can be used to engineer the acousticsThe three fungi tested by EMPA for Mycowood including Schizophyllum commune, Physisporinus vitreus, and Xylaria spp.Processes of creating MycowoodThe current availability of Mycowood technologiesShow notes:Dr. Javier Riberia’s Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Javier-Ribera-2Interview with Francis Schwarze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H_-CRuzWYEMPA Website:https://www.empa.ch/Violino ai funghi (Fungal Violin): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlICRNzPoicEMPA Report on Mycowood for Violins: https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/mycowood-violin?inheritRedirect=trueBIotech Stradivari: https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10097Mycowood Violins in the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/learning/mycowood-violins-a-different-kind-of-time-machine.html