Of Roots and Worms

Francis Gene-Rowe Editors’ note: A version of this essay appeared in the “Compost Futures” zine from the London Science Fiction Research Community, physical copies of which were buried and allowed to partially decompose by the Waal river in the Netherlands. “Compost Futures” was also featured by Vector alongside their 2026 special issues on “Zoefuturism”. The author was kind enough to offer this essay to ARB, as well, where it will be subject only to digital decay. The essay has been lightly edited and updated from its original zine format, with the author’s input. * * * Our culture, which conquered what is called the New World, and which sees the world of nature as an adversary to be conquered: look at us now. Running out of everything. Ursula K. Le Guin, “World-Making,” 1981 We require each other in unexpected collaborations and combinations, in hot compost piles Donna J. Haraway, Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene, 2016 Roots The world is an archipelago. Its…

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