Biomimicry: When Humans Copy Nature's Best Inventions!

sirwinchester (75)in #sirwinchester • 8 years ago

Nature is so fascinating - it offers so many complex technologies and solutions that humans often copy a certain technology from nature to solve an engineering problem.

No matter how far our technology is advancing: sometimes, nature is still one stepp ahead.

This is called biomimicry - getting inspired by nature's solutions and using them to improve our own technology!
It's essentially when scientists are facing a problem and ask themselves: "How would nature solve this?"

These are some fascinating examples of technology in nature that has not only helped humans, but even improved and excelled human plans!

1.) Velcro was inspired from plants

This is possibly the most famous biomimicry technology.
It was discovered by a swiss engineer named George de Mestral, who noticed that his dog had lots of plants (burdock burrs) stuck to his furr after a hunting trip.
When analyzing it under a microscope, he saw that the plants were adhering so well due to a system of hooks.
He started working on this technology and improved it further and further until he got it patented as Velcro in 1955.

2.) Surfaces with unique features inspired by shark sin

Although you've probably never heard of it or noticed it, shark skin has very special properties.
It has a microscopically small pattern all over it, which helps minimize the drag in the water and also keeps algae or small animals from clinging on.
This repelling effect is being used for boats, planes, and windmills!

3.) The Shinkansen Bullet train was improved because of the Kingfisher Bird

The Shinkansen train in japan is an incredibly high-speed train, which can create a loud noise when coming out of tunnels. Obviously, residents living nearby were disturbed by the noise, so an engineer called Eiji Nakatsu took inspiration from the kingfisher - a bird that eats tiny fish and manages to dart into the water with barely any ripple.
So the front of the train was re-shaped to resemble the kingfisher's beak and didn't only make the train less noisy, but also faster.

4.) Butterfly Wings make eBooks more readable

It's always quite had to read off of an electronic eBook reader in the glaring sun.
Now, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies got inspired by butterfly wings to make their displays reflect light instead pf transmitting it from behind - this way it can easily be read even in bright sunlight.

5.) Gecko's feet make a strong adhesive

A gecko can walk and stay on any ceiling or wall and won't fall - this is due to the tiny fibers on his feet.
This technology has inspired a new kind of adhesive made from millions of tiny plastic fibers which can hold a pound of weight.

6.) The repelling Lotus is ideal for outside paint

The lotus flower floats on top of water, and repels all water droplets, as well as dust.
On a microscopic level, lots of tiny protuberances ward off dust particles, and when a drop of water flows over the leaf it collects any dirt on it and leaves the lotus petal clean!
This technology has been transformed to be used in paint - the special surface of the paint makes it ideal for the outside of houses, as it hinders dirt and dust from settling on it!

7.) Tape inspired by spider's silk

Compared to its weight, spider silk is even 5 times stronger than steel.
It's undoubdetly one of nature's most fascinating and complex inventions!
It's very flexible, but still lightweight and very durable, and only sticky in certain areas.
Scientists got inspired by this technology and created a medical tape that can be used on delicate surfaces like damaged tissue or newborns, without the pain of it sticking too much.
They attach a silicon-based, thin sheet to the backing material and then create a grid on it with a laser, which makes some parts sticky and others not.

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5