隊伍名稱：
蘑菇蘑菇
隊員：
林靖瑀
Isabelle Lin
就讀學校、年級：
個人特色、專長和興趣：
團隊簡介與隊名由來：
參賽原因與心得：
1. Inspiration & Objectives: Driven by a passion for marine conservation, I launched this project to explore how natural materials can replace harmful microplastics. My goal was to demonstrate, through a home-based experiment, how mycelium—the root system of mushrooms—can contribute to healthier ecosystems and a future where wildlife can thrive.
2. Methodology & Process: With support from my family and teacher, I researched scientific concepts like energy dissipation and cellular solids. I established a controlled environment at home, meticulously documenting every stage of the mycelium’s growth. This hands-on approach allowed me to track real-time results and observe how this biological material interacts with its surroundings.
3. An Unexpected Discovery: The most striking moment occurred when my findings challenged existing research. While mycelium is typically known to bond only with organic matter, I observed the mycelial roots firmly attaching themselves to the synthetic surface of my plastic storage container. This surprising interaction suggests that mycelium is more versatile than documented, potentially offering new ways to interact with various surfaces under specific conditions.
4. Challenges & Future Outlook: The primary challenge was time management—balancing fungal growth cycles with a strict competition deadline. Due to these constraints, I could not complete the final tests on beeswax-coated blocks. However, the experience significantly strengthened my research skills and scientific confidence. Moving forward, I plan to finalize the beeswax testing to further explore the material’s durability, continuing my journey toward innovative, nature-based environmental solutions.
隊伍自評：
優勢：
研究推導邏輯清晰，並得出有價值的結論。
The Valuable Parts of My Experiment
1. The “Discovery of the Unexpected”: My most significant contribution was observing mycelium roots attaching to the plastic walls of my container. Since my research suggested they only bond with organic materials, this “anomaly” hints at a unique interaction between fungi and synthetic surfaces that I hadn’t anticipated.
2. Demonstrating “Kitchen-Table” Science: I proved that impactful ecological research doesn’t require a high-tech lab. By developing a successful experiment at home, I showed that small-scale, personal actions can produce real-time data for global problems like microplastic pollution.
3. A Focus on Circular Biomaterials: My work directly explores mycelium as a sustainable alternative to plastic. By documenting its growth patterns, I’ve contributed to the conversation on how we can create a future with healthier, cleaner oceans and ecosystems
4. Methodical Documentation: I took great care in recording every step of the process. This disciplined approach allowed me to reflect on my results accurately and ensures that my experiment can be understood and replicated by others.
劣勢：
研究還有更多發展的面向尚未討論，且未完全驗證，如是否為植物激素誘導的部分。
The Limits of My Experiment
1. The Unfinished Variable: One of my primary limitations was that I didn’t complete the testing for the beeswax-coated block. This means I still have unanswered questions about how protective coatings might change the durability or lifespan of the mycelium.
2. The “Time Crunch”: I found that time management was my biggest hurdle. Because I was balancing research, analysis, and presentation prep, I wasn’t able to conduct as many repeat trials as I would have liked to ensure my results were fully consistent.
3. Environmental Control: Since I conducted this at home, I couldn’t perfectly control variables like precise humidity or air purity. These “hidden” factors might have influenced the mycelium’s behavior in ways a professional lab could have filtered out.
4. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data: While my first-person observations were detailed, my research would have been stronger if I had more technical measurements (like growth rate in millimeters or weight changes) to back up my visual findings.
