Biomimicry
Humans have always been inspired by nature, recognizing nature’s solutions that evolved through 3.8 billion years of failure and success, adapting to environmental changes through forms, functions, structures on all levels, from species to ecosystems. In the last decade biomimicry established itself as an innovative interdisciplinary approach that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time tested patterns, strategies and designs.
Biomimicry learns from nature and is based on the key principle that all activities and products should create conditions conducive to life. This means recycling of materials (without producing waste), efficient renewable energy production and use, promotion of the green chemistry and stopping production of pollutants, designing as nature in order to have sustainable and resilient capacity to evolve and adapt to changes.
Biomimicry integrates all types of sciences and art, inspiring education through creativity, innovation and learning by doing concrete projects, applying knowledge to solve all types of issues.
For example, research on shellfish species (oyster and blue mussel) discovered specific polymers that enable each species to attach themselves in marine environments. This discovery is now used in organic ‘green glues’ that are not toxic, provide higher strength and can be applied in water (source: PureBond). Water quality and quantity is becoming a number one global concern, so scientist have tried to learn from nature how to make water from air, like a small beetle from the Namib dessert that does it every day.
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