Learning from Nature – Biomimicry

#mimicry #biomimicry #ngscience
Learn just a few of the many ways scientists and engineers solve real-world problems by mimicking solutions in nature.

Scientists and engineers are constantly identifying problems humans face and designing and building solutions. They also evaluate existing solutions and investigate ways to improve them.

An example of a problem could be runners slipping on certain terrain ... and a solution could be designing shoe with an improved sole to increase friction. Improving an existing solution could be designing an aeroplane that can fly faster, quieter, carry more passengers or be more fuel efficient.

Often, we designing solutions, scientists and engineers turn to a place that has been testing and refining solutions for hundreds of millions of years – nature.

Plants and animals in nature have come up with some amazing innovations. Owls can see in almost complete darkness and are able to fly at fast speeds without making a sound. Spiders can spin webs that are several times strong that steel of the same size. Geckos can crawl up walls and sit effortlessly upside down. Motionless plants have developed many ways to disperse their seeds with the help of wind, water and other animals. All of these innovations and many many more can provide scientists with ideas and inspiration to use technology to solve problems that nature has already. A process called biomimicry.

One example of biomimicry came from observing seed dispersal in plants. In 1941, electrical engineer George de Mestral was on a hunting trip and noticed that the seeds from burdock plants were stuck to his clothing and the fur of his dog. He examined the seeds under a microscope, and discovered the hooks surrounding the seed caught easily on anything with a loop, like clothing and animal fur. This led him to design Velcro. Today Velcro is used in many applications where we need objects to be reversibly attached.

Other examples of biomimicry include observations of bird wings, feathers and body shape in the design and improvement of aeroplanes. This has allowed engineers to design aircraft with less air resistance allowing them to flying further, faster and quieter while also using less fuel.

Birds have also inspired engineers in the design of high speed trains. A kingfisher is a bird with an elongated beak which it uses to silently pierce the surface of the water to catch unsuspecting prey. Incorporating the kingfishers beak into the design of the nose of the high speed Shinkansen train resulted in a faster, more fuel efficient and quieter train.

Biomimicry has come from our oceans too. Bumps on the fins of whales have inspired engineers to design blades and propellers with less drag. The teeth-like denticles on shark skin inspired the design of swim suits for athletes. The streamlined body of most fish have inspired designs on cars and boats ... and fish scales have influenced the design of body armour.

With your classmates, identify a problem facing people today. Discuss, design and build a solution using an exiting design in nature.

Simple English for young learners:
Mimicking Nature
Scientists often observe plants and animals to get ideas for solving problems. They can copy plant and animal body parts and shapes.

The shape and body parts of a bird can help people to design and build an airplane.

Scientists observed how seeds stick to the fur of animals. They used this idea to invent hook and loop fasteners that hold things together.