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HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURE JOURNAL Students studying biomimicry should be encouraged to keep a notebook or nature journal to capture their observations, questions, and ideas as they explore the natural world and connect what they see and learn to possible design solutions. Introduction to the Nature Journal includes two classroom activities that provide a great introduction to the practice of making observations and keeping a PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCH Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). RECEPTORS GUIDE BACTERIAL NAVIGATION Bacteria. Domain Bacteria (“small staff”): L. acidophilus, Staphylococcus. From inside of our own bodies to the deepest parts of the ocean, bacteria have adapted to almost every possible environment. All bacteria are unicellular, microscopic, and lack a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, and come in three basic shapes: spherical(cocci
INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired by SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURE JOURNAL Students studying biomimicry should be encouraged to keep a notebook or nature journal to capture their observations, questions, and ideas as they explore the natural world and connect what they see and learn to possible design solutions. Introduction to the Nature Journal includes two classroom activities that provide a great introduction to the practice of making observations and keeping a PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCH Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). RECEPTORS GUIDE BACTERIAL NAVIGATION Bacteria. Domain Bacteria (“small staff”): L. acidophilus, Staphylococcus. From inside of our own bodies to the deepest parts of the ocean, bacteria have adapted to almost every possible environment. All bacteria are unicellular, microscopic, and lack a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, and come in three basic shapes: spherical(cocci
ABOUT — ASKNATURE
What are the 3 essential elements to Asking Nature? This practice involves three interdependent elements: (Re)Connect: The increasing awareness that humans, individually and as a species, are part of nature, not separate from it, through a deepening connection that honors the reciprocal relationship between all living beings. Emulate: The scientific, research-based practice of learning from HOW PLANTS TRANSFORM SUNLIGHT INTO FOOD Transform Chemical Energy. Life’s chemistry runs on the transformation of energy stored in chemical bonds. For example, glucose is a major energy storage molecule in living systems because the oxidative breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide and waterreleases energy.
THE TOUGHEST NUTS TO CRACK Flowering Plants. Clade Angiosperms (“receptacle seed”): Dandelions, oaks, grasses, cacti, apples. With 416 families containing some 300,000 known species, angiosperms are the most diverse group of plants, and they can be found around the globe in a wide variety ofhabitats.
HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels ASKNATURE — INNOVATION — ANTI-COUNTERFEITING TECHNOLOGY Innovation Details. KolourOptik® combines sub-wavelength nanostructures and microstructures to create security features with a unique and customizable visual effect. KolourOptik pure plasmonic color pixels mimic the nanostructures found on butterfly wings that produce structural color. The result is a unique identification thatproduces full
PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEM INSPIRED BY CAMELS Innovation Details. The cooling system is made of two layers. The inner layer is made of a hydrogel, from which water can readily evaporate, similar to sweat glands. The outer layer is an aerogel, which keeps out external heat, but allows the water vapor to pass through, similar to camel fur. The water vapor has a cooling effect asit increases
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
LARGE EARS HELP COOL THE BODY The Strategy. The jackrabbit’s large ears provide an expansive surface area of exposed skin loaded with blood vessels. When the surrounding air temperature is slightly below the rabbit’s body temperature, as when it retreats from hot desert sun into shade, the blood vessels in the outer part of its ears widen in a process calledvasodilation.
LEAVES PROTECT FROM THE ELEMENTS The leaves of conifers protect from drought, snow and cold by employing unique design elements, including a needle shape, thick waxy rinds, and pores set in deep grooves in the needles. “Some species of tree, even outside the balmy climates of the tropics, manage to produce a kind of leaf that can survive both drought and cold. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEM INSPIRED BY CAMELS Innovation Details. The cooling system is made of two layers. The inner layer is made of a hydrogel, from which water can readily evaporate, similar to sweat glands. The outer layer is an aerogel, which keeps out external heat, but allows the water vapor to pass through, similar to camel fur. The water vapor has a cooling effect asit increases
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
REVERSIBLE SMART GLUE INSPIRED BY MUSSELS Innovation Details. The underwater smart glue uses an electrical current to turn off the adhesion of a catechol-containing material. Catechol is a synthetic protein that is able to bind to wet surfaces and mimics the protein that mussels use to attach to rocks underwater. The use of electrical currents to deactivate the adhesion means the process could one day be controlled with the press of a PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEM INSPIRED BY CAMELS Innovation Details. The cooling system is made of two layers. The inner layer is made of a hydrogel, from which water can readily evaporate, similar to sweat glands. The outer layer is an aerogel, which keeps out external heat, but allows the water vapor to pass through, similar to camel fur. The water vapor has a cooling effect asit increases
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
REVERSIBLE SMART GLUE INSPIRED BY MUSSELS Innovation Details. The underwater smart glue uses an electrical current to turn off the adhesion of a catechol-containing material. Catechol is a synthetic protein that is able to bind to wet surfaces and mimics the protein that mussels use to attach to rocks underwater. The use of electrical currents to deactivate the adhesion means the process could one day be controlled with the press of a PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). HOW PLANTS TRANSFORM SUNLIGHT INTO FOOD Transform Chemical Energy. Life’s chemistry runs on the transformation of energy stored in chemical bonds. For example, glucose is a major energy storage molecule in living systems because the oxidative breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide and waterreleases energy.
HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels THE TOUGHEST NUTS TO CRACK Flowering Plants. Clade Angiosperms (“receptacle seed”): Dandelions, oaks, grasses, cacti, apples. With 416 families containing some 300,000 known species, angiosperms are the most diverse group of plants, and they can be found around the globe in a wide variety ofhabitats.
DIVERSE FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS INSPIRED BY YEAST AND The living material, called Syn-SCOBY, is made from a mixture of bacteria and yeast. The yeast strain is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a common laboratory strain. The bacteria is Komagataeibacter rhaeticus, which was isolated from a kombucha mother. It is known to produce large quantities of cellulose, which serves as a tough and resilientscaffold
ENERGY EFFICIENT VORTEX GENERATOR INSPIRED BY TROUT Vortex Process Technology (VPT) has a unique shape that causes water to quickly swirl down an ever-tightening coil of channels, inspired by the way trout catch food in flowing water. This forces contaminants and/or air bubbles (depending on the application) into a column in the center of the swirling water. At the end of the process a vacuum INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURE JOURNAL Students studying biomimicry should be encouraged to keep a notebook or nature journal to capture their observations, questions, and ideas as they explore the natural world and connect what they see and learn to possible design solutions. Introduction to the Nature Journal includes two classroom activities that provide a great introduction to the practice of making observations and keeping a PROTEIN TURNS SUNLIGHT INTO VIVID COLOR The Strategy. Behind this ability are extremely long molecules known as fluorescent protein s that are folded into a shape that looks a little like a plate of spaghetti, with two tubelike sections, called beta barrels, sitting on top of it. Inside each of the beta barrels is a special stretch of protein called a chromophore. The chromophore’s unique configuration allows it to absorb a photon HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE IS SPACE-EFFICIENT AND STRONG And space-efficiency isn’t the only benefit of building with hexagons. Stacked together, hexagons fill spans in an offset arrangement with six short walls around each “tube,” giving structures a high compression strength. Beehives also dissipate heat THE BEETLES THAT DRINK WATER FROM AIR The Strategy. Several researchers are studying the beetles, as well as synthetic surfaces inspired by the beetle’s body, to uncover the roles that structure, chemistry, and behavior play in capturing water from the air. Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s ADHESIVE IS BOTH STRONG AND FLEXIBLE Manage Turbulence. A turbulent force occurs when air or water creates a chaotic or irregular motion. The source can be such things as wind, waves, and eddies caused by obstructions to air or water flow (such as that created by a rock in a stream). Because the force is irregular, it acts in unpredictable ways on multiple parts of a living system INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a REVERSIBLE SMART GLUE INSPIRED BY MUSSELS Innovation Details. The underwater smart glue uses an electrical current to turn off the adhesion of a catechol-containing material. Catechol is a synthetic protein that is able to bind to wet surfaces and mimics the protein that mussels use to attach to rocks underwater. The use of electrical currents to deactivate the adhesion means the process could one day be controlled with the press of a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE IS SPACE-EFFICIENT AND STRONG And space-efficiency isn’t the only benefit of building with hexagons. Stacked together, hexagons fill spans in an offset arrangement with six short walls around each “tube,” giving structures a high compression strength. Beehives also dissipate heat INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a REVERSIBLE SMART GLUE INSPIRED BY MUSSELS Innovation Details. The underwater smart glue uses an electrical current to turn off the adhesion of a catechol-containing material. Catechol is a synthetic protein that is able to bind to wet surfaces and mimics the protein that mussels use to attach to rocks underwater. The use of electrical currents to deactivate the adhesion means the process could one day be controlled with the press of a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE IS SPACE-EFFICIENT AND STRONG And space-efficiency isn’t the only benefit of building with hexagons. Stacked together, hexagons fill spans in an offset arrangement with six short walls around each “tube,” giving structures a high compression strength. Beehives also dissipate heat HOW PLANTS TRANSFORM SUNLIGHT INTO FOOD Transform Chemical Energy. Life’s chemistry runs on the transformation of energy stored in chemical bonds. For example, glucose is a major energy storage molecule in living systems because the oxidative breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide and waterreleases energy.
HIGH SPEED TRAIN INSPIRED BY THE KINGFISHER The Challenge. The Shinkansen bullet train travels along high-speed railways throughout Japan at speeds of 240–320 km/hr (150–200 mph), carrying millions of passengers every year. However, when it was first designed, the high speeds caused an atmospheric pressure wave to build up in front of the train. When it would travel through tunnels THE TOUGHEST NUTS TO CRACK Flowering Plants. Clade Angiosperms (“receptacle seed”): Dandelions, oaks, grasses, cacti, apples. With 416 families containing some 300,000 known species, angiosperms are the most diverse group of plants, and they can be found around the globe in a wide variety ofhabitats.
HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. ENERGY EFFICIENT VORTEX GENERATOR INSPIRED BY TROUT Vortex Process Technology (VPT) has a unique shape that causes water to quickly swirl down an ever-tightening coil of channels, inspired by the way trout catch food in flowing water. This forces contaminants and/or air bubbles (depending on the application) into a column in the center of the swirling water. At the end of the process a vacuum INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURE JOURNAL Students studying biomimicry should be encouraged to keep a notebook or nature journal to capture their observations, questions, and ideas as they explore the natural world and connect what they see and learn to possible design solutions. Introduction to the Nature Journal includes two classroom activities that provide a great introduction to the practice of making observations and keeping a THE BEETLES THAT DRINK WATER FROM AIR The Strategy. Several researchers are studying the beetles, as well as synthetic surfaces inspired by the beetle’s body, to uncover the roles that structure, chemistry, and behavior play in capturing water from the air. Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE IS SPACE-EFFICIENT AND STRONG And space-efficiency isn’t the only benefit of building with hexagons. Stacked together, hexagons fill spans in an offset arrangement with six short walls around each “tube,” giving structures a high compression strength. Beehives also dissipate heat FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is EYES GIVE 360° VISION Chameleons have a distinctive visual system that enables them to see their environment in almost 360 degrees (180 degrees horizontally and +/-90 degrees vertically). They do this in two ways. The first is with anatomical specializations that enable the eyes to rotate with a high degree of freedom. The second is the chameleon’s ability to INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCH Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCH Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). MICROSTRUCTURES PRODUCE IRIDESCENT COLORS right arrow. “To summarize, hummingbird iridescence is due to interference colors. produced by a stack of about three films whose optical thickness is. one-half the peak wave length. Each film is a mosaic of platelets of. elliptical form. Each platelet THE BEETLES THAT DRINK WATER FROM AIR The Strategy. Several researchers are studying the beetles, as well as synthetic surfaces inspired by the beetle’s body, to uncover the roles that structure, chemistry, and behavior play in capturing water from the air. Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
SURFACE ALLOWS SELF-CLEANING Surface finishes inspired by the self-cleaning mechanism of lotus plants and other organisms (e.g., many large-winged insects) have now been applied to paints, glass, textiles, and more, reducing the need for chemical detergents and costly labor. This summary was contributedby
SHELL GROWS BY ADDING CHAMBERS Every 150 days or so, a nautilus forms a membrane at its tail end that separates almost all of its body from the older portion of the shell. The one exception is a tube-shaped appendage called a siphuncle that extends back through the previously constructed chambers. When first formed, a chamber is filled with fluid. DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE: REVERSE ENGINEERING Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technical principles of an object by taking it apart and carefully studying its different parts. Besides inspiring new designs, studying the components of the flower will also help us better understand how the flower functions as a whole. NASAL SURFACES REMOVE WATER VAPOR The nasal surfaces of camels help conserve water by using hygroscopic properties to remove water from air during exhalation. When the dromedary camel gets dehydrated in its hot and arid environment, its nasal surfaces help the animal conserve water using two mechanisms: by cooling exhaled air during the night, and by extracting water vaporfrom
TENDONS STORE ENERGY The legs of the bushbaby allow it to jump twelve times its body length by storing energy in tendons. These agile creatures can leap swiftly between the branches of trees in woodland and savannah regions of Africa south of the Sahara and on nearby islands. They are small (18 cm/7 in.) primates with thick, wooly fur and large eyes. PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY CREATES LONG-TERM STABILITY Diverse plant species in prairie grasslands support a long‑term, stable ecosystem because they exhibit complementary functionality. An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. A healthy ecosystem includes multiple species that serve similar s or roles – for example, more than one species INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCHTHE PEACOCK MANTISSHRIMP
Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCHTHE PEACOCK MANTISSHRIMP
Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). MICROSTRUCTURES PRODUCE IRIDESCENT COLORS right arrow. “To summarize, hummingbird iridescence is due to interference colors. produced by a stack of about three films whose optical thickness is. one-half the peak wave length. Each film is a mosaic of platelets of. elliptical form. Each platelet THE BEETLES THAT DRINK WATER FROM AIR The Strategy. Several researchers are studying the beetles, as well as synthetic surfaces inspired by the beetle’s body, to uncover the roles that structure, chemistry, and behavior play in capturing water from the air. Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
SURFACE ALLOWS SELF-CLEANING Surface finishes inspired by the self-cleaning mechanism of lotus plants and other organisms (e.g., many large-winged insects) have now been applied to paints, glass, textiles, and more, reducing the need for chemical detergents and costly labor. This summary was contributedby
SHELL GROWS BY ADDING CHAMBERS Every 150 days or so, a nautilus forms a membrane at its tail end that separates almost all of its body from the older portion of the shell. The one exception is a tube-shaped appendage called a siphuncle that extends back through the previously constructed chambers. When first formed, a chamber is filled with fluid. DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE: REVERSE ENGINEERING Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technical principles of an object by taking it apart and carefully studying its different parts. Besides inspiring new designs, studying the components of the flower will also help us better understand how the flower functions as a whole. NASAL SURFACES REMOVE WATER VAPOR The nasal surfaces of camels help conserve water by using hygroscopic properties to remove water from air during exhalation. When the dromedary camel gets dehydrated in its hot and arid environment, its nasal surfaces help the animal conserve water using two mechanisms: by cooling exhaled air during the night, and by extracting water vaporfrom
TENDONS STORE ENERGY The legs of the bushbaby allow it to jump twelve times its body length by storing energy in tendons. These agile creatures can leap swiftly between the branches of trees in woodland and savannah regions of Africa south of the Sahara and on nearby islands. They are small (18 cm/7 in.) primates with thick, wooly fur and large eyes. PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY CREATES LONG-TERM STABILITY Diverse plant species in prairie grasslands support a long‑term, stable ecosystem because they exhibit complementary functionality. An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. A healthy ecosystem includes multiple species that serve similar s or roles – for example, more than one species INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCHTHE PEACOCK MANTISSHRIMP
Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE Whether you're building tools for underwater communication or finding new ways to map the cosmos, nature is rife with practical inspiration for the project at hand. Ask Nature's innovation database makes it easy to explore a variety of products and design solutions inspired byABOUT — ASKNATURE
“When we Ask Nature, first we quiet our human cleverness. Then we ask, and then we listen. The answer is the echo that bounces off of the land herself. With the solution in hand, we always end the circle by saying thank you.” ––Janine Benyus HOW DOES NATURE ENCOURAGE RESILIENCE? Explore some of the many ways nature develops resilience in individuals, communities, and whole ecosystems in the collection below. You’ll see physical defenses built up at the micro and macro levels, small groups that defend larger populations, and protected reserves that can weather the storm and repopulate devastated areas. PASSIVELY COOLED BUILDING INSPIRED BY TERMITE MOUNDS The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air-conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs. At the time of the building’s design, researchers had proposed that termite mounds maintained stable internal climates by having a DUST-REPELLENT COATING FOR SPACECRAFT INSPIRED BY THE Innovation Details. The coating is made from silica, zinc oxide and other oxides, and was originally developed to reduce the need for window cleaning on spacecraft. It is now being developed and tested to perform under multiple conditions, including extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging. SYNERGISTIC WIND FARM DESIGN INSPIRED BY SCHOOLING FISH Innovation Details. Inspired by the way fish can reduce the energetic loss by swimming in a school, vertical axis wind turbines are placed close together so that individual turbines can capture downstream airflow produced by neighboring turbines. This reduces the total area needed for the turbines while increasing energy output by up to10-fold.
FLOWERS DECEPTIVELY MIMIC FUNGI Aristolochia arborea is a small tree native to the moist mountainsides of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.There are 500 or so species of Aristolochia, with most species either found in the tropics or subtropics.Only a few are shrub or tree-like. Aristolochia arborea is special because it produces flowers close to or directly on the forest floor. . In addition, at the center of the flower is HOW BUBBLES SUPER-POWER THE MANTIS SHRIMP’S PUNCHTHE PEACOCK MANTISSHRIMP
Under the right conditions, this produces a cavity or bubble in which the pressure is so low that the water vaporizes. When the bubbles collapse under higher surrounding pressures, they emit energy in the form of sound, light, and heat waves. The whole process occurs in a matter of milliseconds. LEAVES FOLD IN RESPONSE TO TOUCH Each leaf of the Mimosa is a collection of small leaflets growing off of a midrib, usually with around 15 to 20 pairs of leaflets along each midrib. The angle between the midrib and the vein of each leaflet ranges from 25° to 85°. When the leaflets fold in response to touch, this angle decreases to between 15° to 25°. LIMONENE FROM MARIGOLDS REPELS WHITEFLIES Recently, scientists confirmed that whitefly populations were smaller when tomatoes were planted with marigold flowers. They’ve identified that limonene, a chemical substance found in marigolds, is the substance that repels whiteflies. Limonene belongs to a group of chemical substances called volatile plant compounds (VPCs). MICROSTRUCTURES PRODUCE IRIDESCENT COLORS right arrow. “To summarize, hummingbird iridescence is due to interference colors. produced by a stack of about three films whose optical thickness is. one-half the peak wave length. Each film is a mosaic of platelets of. elliptical form. Each platelet THE BEETLES THAT DRINK WATER FROM AIR The Strategy. Several researchers are studying the beetles, as well as synthetic surfaces inspired by the beetle’s body, to uncover the roles that structure, chemistry, and behavior play in capturing water from the air. Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SOLAR CELLS INSPIRED BY Biomimicry Story. Photosynthesis is essential for life on Earth. It is the process by which plants produce energy and oxygen using just sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis in plants converts solar energy into chemical energy using electrons and protons fromwater.
SURFACE ALLOWS SELF-CLEANING Surface finishes inspired by the self-cleaning mechanism of lotus plants and other organisms (e.g., many large-winged insects) have now been applied to paints, glass, textiles, and more, reducing the need for chemical detergents and costly labor. This summary was contributedby
FLEXIBLE FASTENER INSPIRED BY MUSHROOMS Innovation Details. The researchers used 3D printing to create fasteners with a mushroom design. The fasteners have half-spherical tops and a small stem made out of flexible materials. The half-sphere provides sufficient interlocking force on fabrics to stay connected without hooking on. The material safely connects to a variety oftextiles
SHELL GROWS BY ADDING CHAMBERS Every 150 days or so, a nautilus forms a membrane at its tail end that separates almost all of its body from the older portion of the shell. The one exception is a tube-shaped appendage called a siphuncle that extends back through the previously constructed chambers. When first formed, a chamber is filled with fluid. DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE: REVERSE ENGINEERING Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technical principles of an object by taking it apart and carefully studying its different parts. Besides inspiring new designs, studying the components of the flower will also help us better understand how the flower functions as a whole. NASAL SURFACES REMOVE WATER VAPOR The nasal surfaces of camels help conserve water by using hygroscopic properties to remove water from air during exhalation. When the dromedary camel gets dehydrated in its hot and arid environment, its nasal surfaces help the animal conserve water using two mechanisms: by cooling exhaled air during the night, and by extracting water vaporfrom
TENDONS STORE ENERGY The legs of the bushbaby allow it to jump twelve times its body length by storing energy in tendons. These agile creatures can leap swiftly between the branches of trees in woodland and savannah regions of Africa south of the Sahara and on nearby islands. They are small (18 cm/7 in.) primates with thick, wooly fur and large eyes. PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY CREATES LONG-TERM STABILITY Diverse plant species in prairie grasslands support a long‑term, stable ecosystem because they exhibit complementary functionality. An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. A healthy ecosystem includes multiple species that serve similar s or roles – for example, more than one species__
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prevent fracture
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biomimicry videos
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LIFE ON EARTH PRESENTS ELEGANT SOLUTIONS TO MANY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT DESIGNERS AND INNOVATORS FACE EVERY DAY. Explore AskNature to find biological strategies, inspired ideas, and resources relative to your own innovation challenges, so you can begin to emulate the time-tested forms, processes, and systems that already thrive in balance with Earth’s complex systems.__
BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES Nature’s refined solutions, mapped to your design challenges.strategy
RECEPTOR ORGANS FILTER BACKGROUND NOISEWEAKLY ELECTRIC FISH RECEPTOR ORGANS IN THE SKIN OF WEAKLY ELECTRIC FISHES FILTER OUT BACKGROUND NOISE AND ENABLE COMMUNICATION USING CELLS AS CAPACITORS.AskNature Team
Differentiate signal from noiseSense
electricity/magnetism from the environmentstrategy
COLONIES MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITYSOUTH AMERICAN GRASS-CUTTINGANT
COLONIES OF SOUTH AMERICAN GRASS-CUTTING ANTS MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY VIA A THATCHED NEST AND SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF NESTMATERIAL.
Leon Wang
Cooperate within the same speciesPhysically
assemble structure
Protect
from temperature
Regulate
climate Sense
temperature cues from the environmentStore
energy
strategy
ELECTRIC SIGNALS DETECT PREYELEPHANTNOSE FISH THE ELONGATED CHIN ON THE ELEPHANTNOSE FISH HELPS IT HUNT IN MURKY WATER BY SENSING ELECTRIC SIGNALS.AskNature Team
Capture, absorb, or filter organismsNavigate
through liquid
Sense
electricity/magnetism from the environmentSense
shape and pattern in a living system __ VIEW ALL BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES__
INSPIRED IDEAS
Design solutions to human challenges, inspired by biologicalstrategies.
idea
SELF-REPAIRING CONCRETEADVANCED CIVIL ENGINEERING - MATERIALS RESEARCH LAB AT THE UNIVERISTY OF MICHIGAN FLEXIBLE AND SELF-REPAIRING CONCRETE TO REVOLUTIONIZE INFRASTRUCTUREAskNature Team
idea
I2 MODULAR CARPETINTERFACEFLOR AS-NEEDED TILE REPLACEMENT SAVES RESOURCESAskNature Team
Physically assemble structureidea
STOCOLOR® LOTUSAN® PAINTSTO MICROSTRUCTURES IN PAINT CREATE SELF-CLEANING AND ANTI-FOULINGSURFACES.
AskNature Team
Protect from dirt/solidsProtect from
excess liquids
__ VIEW ALL INSPIRED IDEAS__
RESOURCES
Everything you need to learn and teach about biomimicry and lifecentered design.
resource
KEEPING A NATURE JOURNALROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE OF NATURALHISTORY
SKETCHING AND JOURNALING ARE GREAT WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR NATURE OBSERVATION SKILLS. THIS VIDEO OFFERS ARE A FEW TIPS TO GET STARTED.Gretchen Hooker
Film / TV / Video
resource
CREATING LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL PROBLEMS: INSTRUCTIONAL STORYLINE FOR THE BIOMIMICRY YOUTH DESIGN CHALLENGEBIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE THIS PROJECT STORYLINE IS A SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF CONNECTED LESSONS THAT GUIDES STUDENTS THROUGH A LEARNING JOURNEY TO COMPLETE THE BIOMIMICRY YOUTH DESIGN CHALLENGE.AskNature Team
Curriculum Units
resource
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY INSPIRED BY NATURETEDX: SASKIA VAN DENMUIJSENBERG
SASKIA VAN DEN MUIJSENBERG, FOUNDER OF BIOMIMICRYNL (NETHERLANDS), TALKS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM NATURE TO HELP US WITH COMMUNITYINITIATIVES.
Sherry Ritter
Film / TV / Video
__ VIEW ALL RESOURCES__
COLLECTIONS
Themed clusters of strategies, ideas, and resources, curated by you.collections
BEES
A COLLECTION OF MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF BEES, COMPLETED AS PART OF A STUDY ABOUT BIO-INSPIRED DESIGN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY.Holly Kerstiens
collections
LIFE-FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION HOW MIGHT WE TRANSPORT PEOPLE AND GOODS MORE EFFECTIVELY?AskNature Team
collections
HOW TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITYAskNature Team
__ VIEW ALL COLLECTIONS PLEASE ENABLE COOKIES TO VIEW THIS EMBEDDED CONTENT! This functionality/content marked as “Vimeo framework” uses cookies that you chose to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.How might we …
Move or stay put
Get, store, or distribute resourcesMake
Break down
Protect from physical harmMaintain community
Process information
Modify
These phrases describe FUNCTIONS. A function, by definition, is the purpose of something. In the context of biomimicry, function refers to the roles played by a living system’s unique strategies that enable it to survive. Importantly, function can also refer to something you need your design solution to do. A BIOLOGICAL STRATEGY is a characteristic, mechanism, or process that performs a function for an organism or other type of living system. It’s often an adaptation that helps the living system survive and thrive. _AskNature’s primary mission is to map biological strategies and human’s inspired ideas to functions in a way that helps innovators like you learn valuable insights from the living systems that surround us._Learn more
Here are a few BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES to get you started …strategy
PHOTOSYNTHESIS CONVERTS SOLAR ENERGY INTO CHEMICAL ENERGYPLANTS PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN PLANTS CONVERTS SOLAR ENERGY INTO CHEMICAL ENERGY USING ELECTRONS AND PROTONS FROM WATER.AskNature Team
Catalyze chemical breakdownChemically
assemble organic compoundsTransform
chemical energy
Transform
radiant energy (light)strategy
PUPIL ENABLES CLEAR VISION IN EXTREME LIGHT CONDITIONSTOKAY GECKO, , THE PUPIL OF NOCTURNAL GECKOS ENABLES CLEAR VISION IN EXTREME LIGHT CONDITIONS BY BECOMING VERY LARGE AT NIGHT AND CONSTRICTING TO A THIN SLIT WITH SEVERAL PINHOLES DURING THE DAY.Eli Weissman
Sense light (visible spectrum) from the environmentstrategy
LEG HAIRS PREVENT SPIDER FROM STICKING TO ITS OWN WEBSPINYBACKED ORBWEAVER, GOLDEN SILK ORBWEAVER LEG HAIRS OF ORB-WEAVER SPIDERS ALLOW IT TO BUILD ITS WEB WITHOUTGETTING STUCK.
Eleanor Banwell
Capture, absorb, or filter organismsMove
in/on solids
Physically assemble
structure
__Explore all Biological Strategies on AskNature From permaculture to Velcro® to winglets, humans have been looking to nature for inspiration for as long as we’ve been inventing. INSPIRED IDEAS catalog the stories behind realized and conceptual product, service, and system components that have their roots in biology …idea
THE LAND INSTITUTE PERMACULTURETHE LAND INSTITUTE PERENNIAL GRAIN CROPPING MIMICS NATURAL ECOSYSTEM BEHAVIOR.AskNature Team
Biological control of populations, pests, diseasesControl
erosion and sedimentCycle
nutrients
Detoxification/purificationof air/water/waste
Generate
soil/renew fertilityMaintain
biodiversity
Manage
disturbance in a communityRegulate
water storage
idea
CONCENTRATED SOLAR PLANTMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OPTIMAL ARRANGEMENT OF SOLAR ARRAY MIRRORS BASED ON FIBONACCI SPIRALS.AskNature Team
Optimize shape/materialsidea
ANTI-ICING COATING PREVENTS FROST AND ICE BUILDUPRYKACZEWSKI RESEARCH GROUP, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY COATING INFUSED WITH ANTIFREEZE REDUCES FROST AND ICE ACCUMULATIONAlexandra Ralevski
Modify phase Protectfrom excess liquids
Protect
from ice
__Explore all Inspired Ideas on AskNature Interest in biomimicry has skyrocketed over the past decade, and there are now thousands of RESOURCES—including books, articles, videos, lesson plans, groups, training programs, and more—available to folks who want to learn, teach, and practice this valuable problem solving approach. Get started with a few of our favorites here …resource
SHARING BIOMIMICRY WITH YOUNG PEOPLEBIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE AN ORIENTATION TO BIOMIMICRY FOR K-12 TEACHERS AND OTHERS WHO WORKWITH YOUTH.
Gretchen Hooker
Articles / Reports
Educator Training
resource
THE WORLD IS POORLY DESIGNED. BUT COPYING NATURE HELPS.VOX AND 99%INVISIBLE
THIS 6 MINUTE VIDEO INTRODUCES BIOMIMICRY, THE APPLICATION OF BIOMIMICRY AT DIFFERENT SCALES, AND CONNECTIONS TO THE CIRCULARECONOMY.
Gretchen Hooker
Film / TV / Video
resource
BIOMIMICRY BASICS: HOW TO INNOVATE USING NATURE’S STRATEGIESDENISEDELUCA
IN THIS 4-HOUR ONLINE COURSE YOU WILL LEARN A STEP BY STEP METHOD FOR TURNING NATURE'S STRATEGIES INTO INNOVATIVE DESIGN SOLUTIONS USING THE BIOMIMICRY DESIGN SPIRAL.AskNature Team
General Training
__Explore all Resources on AskNature COLLECTIONS tie together BIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES, INSPIRED IDEAS, and RESOURCES into themes that are often correlated with a particular human challenge, geographic area, or set of environmental conditions. Check out a few of our favorites and then start your own …collections
CHEMISTRY OF NATURE
HOW CAN WE LEARN FROM NATURE TO CREATE MATERIALS WITHOUT USING LIFE-THREATENING CHEMICALS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES?AskNature Team
collections
SOLVING FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR, AND SO IS OUR IMPERATIVE. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM NATURE AS WE DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR MITIGATING, ADAPTING TO, AND REVERSING CLIMATE CHANGE?AskNature Team
collections
COOLING DOWN IN THE HEAT FROM SWEATING, TO PANTING, TO PULLING WATER FROM AIR, LIVING SYSTEMS RELY ON A NUMBER OF FORMS AND PROCESSES TO STAY COOL AND HYDRATED.AskNature Team
__Explore all Collections on AskNature “Nature is constantly innovating, endlessly experimenting and ever reinventing itself in the face of new challenges. From materials and products to business models, biomimicry offers a fresh lens for all the dreamers and doers remaking the man-madeworld.”
ANGELA NAHIKIAN, STEELCASE __ Support AskNature: Become a member of the Biomimicry InstituteSupport Us
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