How Mediated Environments Shape Scientific Discovery
The most profound scientific infrastructure isn't human-made—it's the natural world itself, digitally transformed into a tool for discovery.
Have you ever used a familiar landmark to find your way in an unfamiliar city? Scientists do something remarkably similar, using stable features of our environment as guiding landmarks for exploration. This article explores the fascinating concept of "mediating environments and objects as knowledge infrastructure"—how scientists transform natural elements like the sky, landscapes, and even weather patterns into vital research tools through digital technology.
Rather than simply studying environments as subjects of research, scientists are increasingly using them as living infrastructure—stable backdrops against which they can diagnose problems, repair data, and make new discoveries. From astronomers using the celestial sphere to validate their observations to architects harnessing Arctic climate conditions as design elements, researchers across disciplines are finding innovative ways to let nature itself guide the process of discovery. This approach represents a fundamental shift in how we think about scientific infrastructure, moving beyond human-made tools to embrace the natural world as an active partner in knowledge creation.
Traditional scientific infrastructure includes human-made networks of people, artifacts, and institutions that enable the production, storage, and dissemination of data1 . However, a complementary perspective suggests that digitally-mediated natural environments and objects can serve similar infrastructural purposes1 .
Consider the night sky: while astronomers obviously study celestial bodies as their research topic, they also use the sky's stable saliences as infrastructural resources. The predictable relationships between celestial objects provide a constant background against which astronomers can order their work, diagnose equipment malfunctions, and repair data across different observation sites1 .
This approach relies on what sociologist Melvin Pollner called "mundane reason"—the everyday reasoning processes through which people maintain a shared world. Scientists employ ceteris paribus (all else being equal) clauses reflexively to maintain a world in common when working with mediated environments1 .
The ecological theory of perception further supports this concept, suggesting that shifting attention from objects to their background can stimulate exploratory behavior and new relationships between individuals and their environments7 . This theoretical foundation explains why making existing atmospheres perceptible through design can foster new ways of interacting with our surroundings.
The concept of "stable saliences" in environmental mediation refers to predictable, reliable features of natural environments that scientists can use as reference points for their research, much like landmarks in navigation.
A compelling 2025 study examined how vegetation coverage influences intentions to engage in physical activity, testing whether perceived environmental restorativeness serves as a mediating factor3 . This experiment provides a perfect case study for understanding how researchers quantify the psychological impact of environmental conditions.
Chinese university students were randomly assigned to view one of three simulated outdoor scenes depicting different vegetation coverage levels: no vegetation, medium vegetation, and high vegetation3 . All scenes shared a concrete ground surface to maintain consistency, with only the amount of vegetation and built elements varying. Using AI-generated, photorealistic images ensured control over confounding variables while maintaining ecological validity3 .
After viewing their assigned scene, participants completed the Chinese version of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), rating their agreement with 26 statements about the environment using a 7-point Likert scale3 . They then indicated their intention to engage in physical activity in the depicted environment on an 11-point scale.
The findings demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship: as vegetation coverage increased, so did both perceived restorativeness and intention to engage in physical activity3 . Statistical mediation analyses revealed that all PRS subscales significantly mediated the relationship between vegetation level and activity intention.
| PRS Subscale | Mediation Effect Size | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Being Away | 0.24 | p < 0.001 |
| Extent/Coherence | 0.19 | p < 0.001 |
| Fascination | 0.22 | p < 0.001 |
| Compatibility | 0.21 | p < 0.001 |
| Total PRS Score | 0.86 | p < 0.001 |
| Vegetation Level | Perceived Restorativeness | Activity Intention |
|---|---|---|
| None | 2.34 ± 0.41 | 3.12 ± 0.38 |
| Medium | 4.56 ± 0.37 | 5.89 ± 0.42 |
| High | 6.21 ± 0.39 | 8.04 ± 0.45 |
"The total PRS score showed a full mediation effect, indicating that vegetation influenced physical activity intention almost entirely through perceived restorativeness rather than through other pathways3 . This experimental design successfully demonstrated how environmental features (vegetation) create psychological states (restorativeness) that ultimately influence behavioral intentions—showcasing how researchers can systematically study environmental mediation effects."
Across disciplines studying environmental mediation, researchers rely on specialized tools and approaches. While specific reagents vary by field, several key categories emerge as essential components of the environmental mediation toolkit.
| Tool Category | Specific Examples | Research Function |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Scales | Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) | Quantifies subjective restorative experience of environments3 |
| Stimulus Generation Tools | AI-generated realistic scenes | Creates controlled visual stimuli while maintaining ecological validity3 |
| Data Analysis Software | Mplus, Smart PLS | Tests complex mediation models with latent variables3 4 |
| Environmental Sensors | Temperature, light, sound monitors | Captures objective environmental conditions alongside subjective responses7 |
| Architectural Prototypes | Urban Carpet installation | Materially tests how design interventions mediate human-environment relations7 |
The global life science reagents market, valued at $65.91 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $108.74 billion by 2034, reflects the growing importance of these research tools across scientific disciplines5 .
Artificial intelligence is further transforming this landscape, with machine learning algorithms helping predict interactions and stability while automated robotic systems optimize handling and reduce human error8 .
Research tools for environmental mediation span multiple disciplines, from psychology scales to architectural prototypes, reflecting the cross-disciplinary nature of environmental mediation research.
In architecture, the concept of mediating environments takes physical form. The "Urban Carpet" installation demonstrated how design could make users more aware of their existing atmosphere, particularly their body-in-space relationships7 . Participants showed increased awareness of their spatial presence and began interacting with the site in novel ways, illustrating how designed interventions can mediate new individual-environment relations.
Arctic architecture provides another compelling application, where designers work with—rather than against—extreme environmental conditions. Instead of merely insulating buildings from cold temperatures, architects are developing structures that incorporate thermal dynamics as active design elements, creating buildings that mediate between inhabitants and harsh climates2 .
The mediation concept extends to business environments, where environmental knowledge mediates the relationship between environmentally sensitive thoughts/behaviors and business performance4 . Ecocentric leadership—which prioritizes ecological welfare in decision-making—fosters green innovation through serial mediation processes involving green knowledge sharing and green ambidexterity6 .
This demonstrates how environmental mediation principles can be applied beyond traditional scientific contexts to influence organizational behavior and business outcomes, creating sustainable business models that align economic and ecological interests.
Early use of celestial bodies as stable reference points for navigation and timekeeping, establishing the foundation for using natural environments as infrastructure.
Development of assessment scales like the Perceived Restorativeness Scale to quantify how environmental features influence human psychology and behavior3 .
Emergence of designs that work with environmental conditions rather than against them, such as Arctic architecture that incorporates thermal dynamics2 .
Extension of environmental mediation principles to business contexts, linking ecological awareness to organizational performance through mediation processes4 6 .
Current integration of artificial intelligence to predict environmental interactions and optimize mediation strategies across disciplines8 .
The concept of mediating environments and objects as knowledge infrastructure represents a paradigm shift in how we approach scientific research and practical applications across fields. By recognizing the stable saliences in natural environments as tools rather than just topics, we unlock new possibilities for discovery and innovation.
As technology advances, particularly in artificial intelligence and sensor networks, our ability to digitally mediate environments will become increasingly sophisticated. This promises enhanced capabilities for everything from astronomical research to sustainable architecture to organizational management. The most exciting prospect is that as we get better at letting nature itself guide our inquiries, we may discover that the answers we seek have been embedded in our environment all along—we simply needed the right mediators to help us perceive them.
The future of scientific infrastructure isn't just about building better tools—it's about becoming better listeners to the natural world that has always been ready to serve as our guide.