The Mequation art installation
calculates the exact number
of how unique it is that you exist.
You in this universe.
You on this planet with fragile life.
You with your looks and location.
All in a single number.
Housed in the art installation is Mequation, the first equation that shows, in a personalised number, how extraordinary it is that you, against all odds, exist.
An equation, that puts in a single number
how unique it is that you exist.
Right here.
Right
Now.
From all the known planets in the universe,
to the rare few that could sustain life.
From the enormous biodiversity on our planet earth.
All the billions of humans walking the planet.
All the way to...
You.
You, Standing here. At this precise time. In this
exact location. With this unrepeatable
genetic code. A single number
showing you the
chance of the
existence
of
You.
We call this the Mequation
Probability of you existing here and now
This installation scans you and calculates the probability that you exist right here, right now, in the grandness of the universe, captured as a number.
The probability of this installation's existence is also unique. The development, real-time processing, AI and technology that make it possible could only come together now. Here are some details you might love.
The Mequation isn't a screen, it's a mirror made of mechanics. Behind the surface sit more than 900 small 7-segment Flipdot modules, over 6,300 segments in total, each one physically flipping from black to fluorescent as the equation calculates your number.
You don't hear silence when you stand in front of it. You hear the work thinking. A mesmerising mechanical whisper of thousands of segments turning at once, the soft analog clatter of a universe doing the math on your existence in real time.
Flip by flip by flip. Until every segment locks into place, the whisper stops, and there you are. Against all odds.
You are scanned using a Femto Bolt camera that watches you through two sensors at once. A 4K RGB camera reads the colour of your eyes. A Time-of-Flight depth sensor pulses infrared light to measure your height and your distance from the mirror, accurate to within 11 millimetres.
The feeds flow into TouchDesigner running on a local machine, where the equation pulls live data from a chain of APIs in parallel. NASA's exoplanet archive for the count of known worlds. ESA Gaia for the stars catalogued in our galaxy. The UN population clock for every human alive at this second. Local census and geolocation feeds for how many people stand near you right now. GPS for your exact coordinates.
All of it converges, the equation runs, and in real time it reflects you back as numbers flipping across the mirror. You see yourself in data.
Nothing is stored. No face, no measurement, no number is kept. The moment is the moment, and then it's gone.
Your number lands somewhere around 0.000...something, with 45, 48, sometimes 52 zeros before the first real digit appears. That's not a number the human brain can hold. So here is what those zeros actually feel like.
Rarer than every grain of sand on Earth, multiplied by every grain of sand on a thousand more Earths.
More improbable than shuffling a deck of cards and getting the exact same order, fifty times in a row.
Less likely than every person alive today winning the lottery on the same day. Twice.
Smaller than the chance of picking one specific atom, at random, from every atom in the Pacific Ocean.
And yet. Here you are.
About
Against all odds. You are here. The artwork Mequation shows you this in a single number. Your number.
The artwork is a 1.5-meter circular mirror made of analogue flip-board numbers, which scans you to reveal that number. When you stand in front of it, the mirror scans your face. Not to identify you, but to see you. To see how unique it is that you exist.
Sensors capture your eye colour, your height, your exact location at that precise moment. Then the equation calculates your cosmic improbability, from all the known universes to the rare few that could sustain life. From the enormous variety of life that has emerged on our fragile planet, to the billions of people walking it, converging, ultimately, toward you.
All of it comes together in a single number, the probability that you exist, at this exact moment, in time and space. Calculated on the spot, it delivers an enormously small number: a zero, followed by 45... 48... 52 decimal places. And then your specific number. A number that has never existed before, and will never exist again.
This is not a calculation you can do at home. The equation lives only in this artwork. You can't ask an AI, you can't google it, it's a lived, immersive experience. It only works when you're here, standing in front of the mirror. At this precise moment. In this exact location. With your unrepeatable genetic code.
The equation draws on the latest astrophysical research, the real-time discovery of exoplanets, the people being born and dying right now, the number of people in your location, and then, you. It is a living, constantly updating calculation of the uniqueness of your existence, right now.
All of the deep space research, astrophysicists scouting the universe for signs of life, vast datasets, population counters, AI scanning tools and processing power, all of it working together to give you a single number. The chance of you. Like lying on your back in the grass on a clear night, looking up at the stars, feeling humble and special at the same time, this work, this number, gives you that same feeling.
You are statistically impossible. And yet, here you are. The mirror reflects only you. It was made to show you reflected in the whole of the universe. To show that against all odds, you are here. We call this the Mequation.
Where is the artwork now? SXSW London, Summer 2026
Mequation is a collaboration between Dr. Yamila Miguel and artist Thijs Biersteker, driven by a shared urgency to translate complex science into something that speaks directly to human experience. This artwork does exactly that. Yamila created a new living equation that lives solely in the artwork.
Dr. Yamila Miguel is an Argentinian Astrophysicist, professor at Leiden University and the Netherlands Institute for Space Research. Yamila is an expert in studying the interiors and atmospheres of planets in the Solar System and Exoplanets. She was instrumental in interpreting data from NASA's Juno mission that revealed Jupiter's deep atmospheric structure and composition, and is a central member of the science teams of several ESA missions dedicated to the study of exoplanets.
Thijs Biersteker is an ecological artist whose work transforms scientific data into large-scale public installations. Collaborating with institutions including UNESCO, WHO, and IUCN, his practice bridges science communication and policy.
The Mequation project emerged from a program initiated by the Dutch Research Council NWO, the Woven Foundation, and Leiden University. We also acknowledge support from the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and the European Research Council (ERC). Its aim is to advance world-class research and deepen public understanding of fundamental space science through immersive art.
The Woven Foundation bridges art and science to address global challenges. Through collaborations with leading artists and researchers, the foundation commissions immersive works that make complex science tangible and emotionally resonant.
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) funds top researchers and supports scientific breakthroughs. Through its Art & Science programme, NWO fosters innovative collaborations between artists and scientists to strengthen the public engagement with fundamental research.
Leiden Observatory, part of Leiden University's Faculty of Science, is the oldest university observatory in the world. It is home to pioneering research in exoplanets, planetary interiors, and astrophysics, led by scientists including Dr. Yamila Miguel.
CIIIC (the Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition) are here to help creators, researchers, businesses and governments get the most out of the huge opportunities IX can offer. We support you every step of the way, from R&D to market introduction and scaling.
SRON
Netherlands Institute for Space Research
SRON is the Dutch national institute for space research, developing cutting-edge technology and leading scientific research for international space missions. The institute plays a major role in advancing our understanding of exoplanets, black holes, and the evolution of the Universe through collaborations with ESA and NASA.
ERC
European Research Council
The European Research Council funds frontier research across Europe, supporting ambitious, high-risk, high-gain scientific projects led by outstanding researchers.
With special thanks to
Maria Shubina, Daan van der Sman, Riangelo Christie, Maureen Voestermans, Frans Snik, Andrea Bandelli, Heleen Rouw.
