BIOMIMICRY

L e a r n i n g f r o m P r a i r i e sH o w t o G r o w F o o d

S u s t a i n a b l y

Adding deep-rooted perennial plants to agriculture mimics stable natural ecosystems. This diversity helps to maintain and even improve the water and soil resources.

Prair ie s

South Patrol Prairie. Digital image. USDA. N.p., n.d. Web.

Organic Gardens at the Reñihué Farm. Digital image. Pumalin Park and Project. N.p., n.d. Web.

L e a r n i n g f r o m Te r m i t e sH o w t o C r e a t e

S u s t a i n a b l e B u i l d i n g s

We generally think of termites as destroying buildings,not helping design them. But the Eastgate Building,an office complex in Harare, Zimbabwe, has an air conditioning system modeled on the self- coolingmounds of termites that maintain the temperatureinside their nest to within one degree, day and night,while temperatures outside swing from 3o to 40o C.

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Makani, Limbikani S.K. Eastgate Shopping Mall. Digital image. Panoramio. N.p., n.d. Web.

Lear n i n g f r o m Hu m p b a c kW h a l e s H o w t o C r e a t e

Eff i c i e n t Wind P o w e rA company called WhalePower is applying the lessons learned from aerodynamic humpback whale fins to thedesign of wind turbines to increase their efficiency. Thisnatural technology also has enormous potential toimprove the safety and performance of airplanes.

Humpback w h a l e s

http://www.animalstown.com/animals/b/blue-whale/wallpapers/blue-whale-wallpaper-03.php

WhalePower. THE FIRST WHALEPOWER PROTOTYPE RETROFIT TURBINE BLADE. Digital image. Whalepowercorporation. N.p., n.d. Web.

L e a r n i n g f r o m Tr e e s a n dB o n e s H o w t o O p t i m i z e

S t r e n g t h a n d M a t e r i a l sTrees and bones engineer themselves in a number of ways to maximize strength and structure while reducingstress. Engineers incorporate these strategies into cardesigns, which result in new vehicles that are lighter andsafer than conventional cars.

Trees and Bones

Neill, William. Giant Sequoia Trees, Mariposa Grove Yosemite National Park, California, 1993. Digital image. Commercialfineart. N.p., 1993. Web.

Daimler AG. Mercedes-Benz Bionic Car Skeleton. Digital image. Ask Nature. N.p., 27 Apr. 2009. Web.

L e a r n i n g f r o m C h i m p a n z e esH o w t o H e a l O u r s e l v e s

By observing how chimps and other species cope with illness, researchers have acquired leads on plants with promising medical applications to human health. Trees from the Vernonia genus, for example, which chimpanzees regularly seek out when ill, have been found to contain chemical compounds that show promise in treating parasites such as pinworm, hookworm, and giardia in humans.

Chimpanzees

Cute Monkey Photo. Digital image. Blirk.net. N.p., n.d. Web.

Natural Medicine. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://granolacatholic.blogspot.com/2011/07/stocking-natural-medicine-cabinet.html>.

L e a r n i n g E f f i c i e n c y f r o mK i n g f i s h e r s

The Shinkansen Bullet Train in Japan is the fastest train in the world, traveling 200 miles per hour. The front end is modeled after the beak of a kingfisher, which allows the train to travel quietly and efficiently at high speeds.

Kingfishers

Lukasik, Lukasz. Kingfisher. Digital image. Bird Watching. N.p., n.d. Web.

Shinkasen-bullet Train-Japan. Digital image. Dyworks. N.p., n.d. Web.

S o u rce:Biomimicry.Net

Want to learn more? Check out Prof. Ross Lee’sclass: Biomimicry (EGR 7200/GEV 4350).

S a m p l e L a y o u t