Biomimicry- Nature as a model, measure, and mentor.

-Biomimicry is a new scientific idea of using nature's efficient examples and relating them into human society. Because nature is so efficient and self sustainable it would only make sense to shape our way of life around it in order to create a more environmentally sustainable world for humans. From using the idea of photosynthesis for solar cells or burrs that stuck onto fur or cloth which gave way to the design for Velcro, biomimicry has started to surrounds us in our daily lives. As Janine Benyus would say "unlike the Industrial Revolution, the Biomimicy Revolution introduces an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her."

Recent Developments In Biomimicry

Worm Adhesive?-The sandcastle worm makes a protective home out of beads of zirconium oxide in a lab. At the University of Utah, scientists have created a synthetic version of this glue for possible use in repairing fractured bones. Interested?

Insulating Glass & Honeycomb- Modeled after the hexagonal structure of a honeycomb, ClearShade’s window core limits sunlight coming through glass thereby reducing heat gains as well as energy costs. Interested?

The Dye Solar Cell- Using a dye similar to the chlorophyll found in green leaves, the Dye Solar Cell (DSC) prototype by Dyesol departs from the more traditional silicon-based solar cells by working to mimic the photosynthetic processes of plants. Interested?

Lotus Inspired Paint?- Lotus—a plant with a unique hydrophobic microstructure that forces water droplets to bead and roll off its leaves—is being used as inspirationto to improve the lifespan of numerous hard-to-clean materials such as stucco, concrete and other exterior wall finishes. Interested?