How a seemingly simple concept revolutionized innovation.

An Intro to Biomimicry.

In 1997, biologist and author Janine Benyus published a book that brought forth a revolution to innovation and design — a concept called biomimicry. Biomimicry is the practice of analyzing life and natural processes to influence design, engineering, and innovation. Simple enough, right?

For example, by observing and analyzing how burrs stuck to his dog’s fur, a Swiss engineer invented velcro using the exact same hook-loop mechanism that the natural world does to such great effect. This is a wonderful example of design imitating life.

Burrs (left) and velcro mechanism (right)

Now, it‘s very important to note that biomimicry is about studying how life has solved certain problems so that we can do the same.

• Designing a car to look like a penguin isn’t biomimicry — it’s biomorphism: making something look like a biological component.
• Designing a car with a giant leaf as a windshield for aesthetic purposes isn’t biomimicry — it’s bioutilization: the usage of biological materials in designs.
• Designing a car with a bird-like body to reduce drag is biomimicry: modelling design principles off of biological functions.

The triangle of bio-inspired design.

Why Biomimicry Works so Well

Life has been propagating for billions of years, so species have had a long time to develop innovative solutions to better their survival and reproduction strategies. This could mean finding solutions to scale tall structures really quickly to get away from prey, or using color to better intimidate competing species.

With regards to long-term implications of biomimetic solutions, Janine Benyus put it best:

“When we look at what is truly sustainable, the only real model that has worked over long periods of time is the natural world.”

The natural world has mastered sustainability. Ecosystems are designed to mitigate waste by means of the food chain and decomposition —it’s a system in which every resource is used. In a time where we are now reaping the detriments of decades of unsustainable industrial practices, looking to nature to see how it made for an endless supply of resources can be a source of great inspiration.

Current Existing Applications:

1. Scientists have developed a new low power, HD color display screen inspired by the iridescence of butterfly wings. These screens manipulate light to better help reduce screen fatigue and eye strain. More efficient solar panels are also being developed in the same vein.

Butterfly wings and solar panels.

2. Speedo made a record-shattering swimsuit inspired by the sandpaper-like texture of shark skin to reduce drag for swimmers. The design uses materials that channel water flow smoothly for more efficient movement in water.

3. Research is being done to apply lotus leaves’ self-cleaning abilities to vehicle exteriors so that your car can clean itself when it rains and no water will stay on it (so no drying is necessary).

And there are so many more applications of biomimicry worth checking out.

Why Biomimicry is so Important

1. Scalability

Biomimicry can help us solve major world problems like the climate crisis. We see carbon dioxide as a poison and something we need to reduce or get rid of. Nature sees it as energy; as a building block. Companies have been using biomimicry to create useful, biodegradable plastics out of carbon dioxide and methane — two potent greenhouse gases. So, we can reach sustainable goals much faster by observing how the planet already does it.

“The best ideas may already have been invented.”- Janine Benyus

2. Usage Rights

Nature has no copyright! There’s millions and millions of years of free inspiration out there. We just have to be proactive and look.

3. Perspective

Biomimicry is a way of taking from the natural world as inspiration instead of greed; taking ideas from nature instead of resources. It helps put our existence as a species into perspective and better understand the amazing creatures we neighbour. It also allows us to really appreciate all the incredible feats nature has created on its journey to humans and beyond.

Takeaways:

• Biomimicry is the process of looking to nature to help solve engineering and design problems.
• Life is an excellent basis for innovation because it’s been developing for so long, is sustainable, and can’t be copyrighted.
• There are so many amazing and revolutionary applications of biomimicry that have arisen over the years, and its possibilities are seemingly endless.