biomimicry
The Coconut Provides Inspiration for Green Packaging Alternatives
One of the most delicious designs nature has to offer, the coconut exemplifies how Mother Nature is one of the best designers around. The coconut shell is a natural packaging design solution that can
Natural Packaging: The Coconut Husk Solves Shipping Problems!
Today we're thrilled to kick off a brand new series that explores a greener future for packaging design, brought to you by Eco Chick founder and green journalist Starre Vartan! Each year households
“Morphotex” Fabric Mimics Butterfly Wing Shimmer Without Dyes
It's the season for summery dresses, and here’s a beautiful design from Sydney based Donna Sgro that will add a lot a shimmer to your already sunny days! A trick of the light played on your unassuming
Design Inspired by Nature – Biomimicry For a Better Planet
Taking inspiration from Mother Nature isn’t a bad idea – afterall, she’s managed to create a complex self-sustaining system of life supporting millions of species over billions of years. There is a
Design Inspiration from Nature – Biomimicry for a Better Planet
People have been turning to nature for inspiration to help them solve problems for millions of years. From buildings and bridges to materials and medicine - examining the design of nature has aided in the
Beetle-Inspired Bottle Harvests Drinking Water From Thin Air
For over one hundred years, scientists and engineers have been studying ways to effectively harvest fog as a source of water in arid regions. Although some of these man-made systems have proved useful,
Robotic Fish Could Lead Real Fish Away From Danger
What if robots could lead fish away from major danger zones like, say, a massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast? It might be possible with the launch of Maurizio Porfiri's remote-controlled fish-like
Scientists Unlock Secret of Super Strong Spider Silk Material
Photo by Luc Viatour Spider silk may seem fragile, but it actually has a tensile strength that is a whopping five times more than steel! Scientists have been trying to replicate and harness the
BIO-INSPIRED: Pratt Student Designs a Table Inspired by Insects
Industrial Design student, Alvaro Uribe of Pratt Institute, wowed us last weekend at BKLYN Designs with his sleek Mantis Table. Inspired by insect body parts and adding a light and elegant touch to any
New Photosensitive Smart Skin Could Cut Buildings’ Energy Use
Photo by Wonderlane University of California engineer Luke Lee and architect Maria-Paz Gutierrez are developing an advanced “skin” for buildings that would regulate temperature and humidity
“Pixie Dust” Used to Regrow Limbs of Wounded Soldiers
It sounds too good to be true: a substance called Pixie Dust that is capable of re-growing human limbs. But it's real, and it's already being used by surgeons to save wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. The
Underwater “Snookie” Robot is Inspired By Blind Fish
Biomimicry strikes again–this time with Snookie, an underwater robot that has an artificial sensory organ inspired by the “lateral-line system” seen in blind fish like the Astyanax.
Three-Layered Snail Shell Inspires Better Body Armor
Biomimicry: is there anything it can't do? The latest example of science imitating nature comes from researchers at MIT who have discovered that the shell of a tiny deep-sea snail could give way to tough,
LEAF POWER: Artificial Glass Leaves Produce Energy via Transpiration
Everyone knows that trees combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide out of the air. Now, plant leaves are tackling global warming in another way -- by serving as models for a technology that
Taiwan’s Beautiful Bioshell Center for Disease Control
Inspired by the elegant form of the Nautilus Shell, the Taiwan Center for Disease Control's BioLab conceals a dangerous riddle within its outer skin. Usually only visible to the naked eye, the structure
Monitoring Water Pollution With Robotic Fish
Soon, the water in Gijon, a harbor in Northern Spain will be monitored by robotic, battery-powered fish. These mechanical, articulating sea creatures were designed and tested by the Robotics Department at
Qatar Sprouts a Towering Cactus Skyscraper
The Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture (MMAA) in Qatar is getting a brand new office building that takes the form of a towering cactus. Designed by Bangkok-based Aesthetics Architects, the
MVRDV Designs Gwanggyo Green Power Center
Rotterdam-based architects MVRDV recently won the Gwanggyo City Centre Competition with their design of this incredible new city just south of Seoul, South Korea. Envisioned as a verdant acropolis of
Ask Nature: Using Biomimicry to Solve Design Problems
The Biomimicry Institute recently teamed up with Autodesk to launch AskNature.org, an incredible source of information for the growing community of professionals researching and applying the principles of
MAD Architects Honeycomb Skyscraper
Be it their biomimetic form, their integral strength, or the their beautiful visual texture, lately we can't get enough of hexagonal honeycomb structures. The latest to catch our eye is the stunning
TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: Energy-Efficient Oriens Glider
This stunning energy-efficient glider recently took top prize in the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Competition for its innovative re-envisioning the life-cycle of the airplane. Designed by Roland Cernat,
BIOWAVE: Biomimicry Solution for Ocean Power
Biomimicry - or designs based on natural systems - is one of the most intriguing methods for designers and engineers to create innovative and efficient solutions to problems. Inspired by forms and
MILAN 2008: Helica Ceramics by Anouk Omlo Blossoms
The arrival of Salone Internazionale del Mobile marks not only the official start of spring in the design world, but also an inspiring cross-pollination of fresh ideas related to innovative furniture,
SMOOTH OPERATOR: The Clean Technology Tower
The Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill architectural firm has been busy stirring up the world's skyline with a slew of lean, green superstructures that push the energy-neutral envelope. AS+GG recently unveiled
Foliage Covered Botanical Building by Mass Studies
If you're a fan of botanical architecture, this might just be the coolest building ever. Architects Minsuk Cho and Kisu Park of Mass Studies designed this flora-clothed multi-level building to house
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