Xenolife
Creating hybrid species to restore Earth's natural balance

Self-initiated
Year of project: 2022

This project is work in progress.

About Xenolife

Our planet's biodiversity is under threat. Thousands of species are in danger of extinction which will lead to imbalances in our highly sensitive ecosystems. This is a big deal. A balanced ecosystem is essential for fertile soil, clean water and food production, but also for the ability of forests and oceans to absorb CO2. Most of us now know that the possible extinction of the bee, for example, would have dramatic consequences. But what if it is already too late? What if the bee can’t be saved anymore? What if the changes that are already taking place cannot be undone?

In the future, it may me possible to create new hybrid life using genetic engineering, possibly in combination with (soft) robotics. We could mix the genetic code of plants, animals, fungi, insects and even humans as modular building blocks to create entirely new hybrid species packed with desirable and programmable characteristics. Can we use this as an opportunity to reserve biodiversity loss and ultimately restore Earth’s natural balance?

In this speculative design research, we investigate the creation of new hybrid life forms. Research questions include: what might they look like, how do they fit into our ecosystem, how can we coexist with them, what does it mean for the role of humans at the top of the food chain, what are the dangers and what rights do these new entities have?

The aim of the project is, inspired on scientific research, to come up with a number of new species that could potentially restore fundamental ecosystem functions that are in danger of being lost. Next, we will investigate their potential behavior using ecosystem modelling and by bringing them to life in computer simulations. All this will be done done in close collaboration with scientists, researchers, environmentalists, ethicists and the general public.

Are you interested in participating in this project? Please don’t hesitate to reach out. The project is still at a relatively early stage.