Biomimicry

Most of us know what a mime is -- that's a person who mimics a movement so it looks like they are climbing a rope or walking against a strong wind. Some people can mimic the voice of a famous person. But mimicry goes beyond trying to look like or sound like something else. Here's an introduction to Biomimicry, written for Sci/Why by Kim Woolcock and Megan Clendenan.

Biomimicry is a relatively new field of bio-inspired design that takes a page from nature’s handbook in an effort to create more sustainable, renewable products. Instead of what we can take from nature, biomimicry looks at what we can learn from nature. Biomimicry inventions and innovations can breathe new life into how we design our cities, how we manage waste, create packaging, robotics, clothing design, travel – the list is almost endless.

What would it be like if we could create anti-bacterial surfaces inspired by shark skin? Or design less painful needles by observing how mosquitos bite? What if we could figure out how better to transport vaccines by learning more about tiny organisms called tardigrades?

What if we could learn to design like nature?

For example, biomimicry can lend inspiration to green chemistry. From the glow of fireflies, to the stretchiness of spider silk, to the spicy kick of mustard, nature holds many examples of powerful chemicals that are produced inside organisms, at ambient temperature and pressure, unlike in industrial processes.

We all know glue doesn’t work very well when it’s wet. Have you ever tried gluing wet cardboard together? But non-toxic glues that work in wet conditions would be incredibly useful in medicine.

Scientists are looking to organisms that live in the intertidal zone, such as sandcastle worms (Phragmatopoma californica). These worms can glue grains of wet sand and shell into underwater fortresses that protect them from pounding waves. Plus, they’re kind of cute.

 

By Fred Hayes for the University of Utah - University of Utah, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8320561

The new glues could be used in bone reconstruction, instead of metal pins or plates. With strong, non-toxic adhesives that work in wet conditions, small pieces of bone could be held in place until they healed, as in facial reconstruction, in dentistry, and other medical and engineering applications.

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Kim Woolcock and Megan Clendenan are co-authors of Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet, which is a new title in the Orca Footprints series that explores how biomimicry is inspiring scientists, engineers, and kids around the globe. It provides history and background on natural and synthetic materials, introduces the science of biomimicry, provides inspiring examples, and invites kids to imagine themselves as future biomimicry pioneers. 

“Have you ever held a seashell and wondered how its delicate swirl can be so strong? Or lay down under a tree so tall it touches the clouds and wondered how it withstands the strongest winds? Nature is a genius at design!”