Ethical Mycelium Urn Models

À_SOMBRA, created by João Pedro Alves Cavalcanti and Jeanine Torres Geammal from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), has unveiled a sustainable burial ritual rooted in ecological regeneration and inspired by the Gaia hypothesis. The innovative process uses a biodegradable urn made from mushroom mycelium to reintegrate human remains—processed via cremation, natural organic reduction (NOR), or alkaline hydrolysis—into the soil.

After loved ones place the remains into the mycelium urn and it stabilizes for 24 hours, the urn is transported on a bamboo structure to the burial site. Once planted post-memorial, mycelium nourishes the soil, supporting microbial and plant life. The bamboo structure includes a QR code linking to a digital memorial with information about the deceased and the local ecosystem, while GPS coordinates preserve the site’s location as the bamboo naturally decomposes.

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