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Shortly before his death in 2011, Steve Jobs said, “I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.” The crossroads that he spoke of actually has a name – biomimicry – and while it has been helping inventors, designers and architects innovate in genius ways for centuries, its value has become even more apparent in the past few years as we realize that Mother Nature is one of the universe's most incredible designers. If you're not yet familiar with biomimicry, it's a word that describes finding design inspiration from nature to solve human problems. There are examples of biomimicry all around us – velcro, airplanes, solar panels modelled on ivy, and even buildings modelled after termite mounds. The people who came up with these inventions were obviously intelligent, but even more important, they were good observers able to make a connection between an issue they wanted to address and a solution that already existed in nature. If you're an architect, designer or inventor facing a design dilemma that you simply can't get past, or if you're just feeling stuck in a rut, the answer may be right in front of you – if you know where to look.
One way to unlock the elucidation biomimicry can offer is by simply getting into nature and exploring, but not everyone has the time and resources to do that. If you're a city dweller, it's also very possible that you don't have a wealth of animal or plant species in your vicinity. One powerful alternative to that that you can access right from your computer is AskNature, a free, online database of bio-inspired ideas, strategies and blueprints offered by Biomimicry 3.8, an organization dedicated to biomimicry education and professional consulting.
Whether you're a biologist who wants to share what you know about an amazing organism, or a designer, architect, engineer, or chemist looking for planet-friendly solutions, AskNature is an open-source platform and online community where biology and design cross-pollinate to create breakthroughs. You can sort AskNature by product, strategy or person to find what you're looking for or if you're just looking for general inspiration, you can just browse.
Velcro is one amazing example of biomimicry.
This naturally-cooled termite mound inspired a whole building.
Bat wings were the inspiration for this flying robot.
Whether you're a biologist who wants to share what you know about an amazing organism, or a designer, architect, engineer, or chemist looking for planet-friendly solutions, AskNature is an open-source platform and online community where biology and design cross-pollinate to create breakthroughs. You can sort AskNature by product, strategy or person to find what you're looking for or if you're just looking for general inspiration, you can just browse.
