The Soil Exploration Program (S.E.P) is a fictional organization focused on addressing global challenges like antimicrobial resistance and ecological degradation by exploring the hidden world of soil microbes. Collaborating with researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), the project developed a device to cultivate microbes in their natural habitat, aiming to discover new bacteria with potential benefits for medicine, agriculture, and environmental restoration. This research could help tackle pressing issues like soil degradation and antimicrobial resistance.

By drawing parallels between soil exploration and space exploration, the S.E.P reframes how we perceive the underground ecosystem, likening unknown microbes to “alien life forms” to inspire curiosity and care for the environment. The project also promotes public engagement through citizen science, empowering people to participate in microbial research using tools like the Soil Microbe Exploration Kit (S.M.E.K), which allows field research to be conducted outside traditional labs. The project’s design merges science and storytelling to foster a deeper connection with the more-than-human world beneath our feet.

S.E.P also introduces the idea of a community-driven bio-bank, where microbial discoveries can be stored and shared, creating an open-source network of knowledge about the soil’s biodiversity. This concept reflects a larger vision of collective scientific inquiry, where both researchers and citizens collaborate to address critical environmental challenges. Through a combination of design, speculative storytelling, and scientific research, S.E.P encourages a new culture of care for the microbial life that sustains our planet.