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Biomimicry - Life Imitating Nature

The term Biomimicry comes from the words bios and mimesis. Bios translates to life and mimesis translates to imitate. The science of Biomimicry, according to the Biomimicry Institute is the science of "imitating nature's processes and designs to solve human problems – sustainably."

There are two ways Biomimicry can work. The first way is having a problem that needs a solution. In this instance, scientists look to the creatures and systems in nature to find ones that have created a solution to a similar problem. The other side to Biomimicry is studying nature to learn what it has to teach us then applying that knowledge to technology that could lead to a more sustainable and efficient means of living, eating and more. For example, scientists are currently studying the leaf to find better ways to create solar power. A really basic early example of Biomimicry is the airplane that was designed after bird's flight.

The notion of turning to nature for solutions isn't a new one. Native peoples took their cues as to what to eat and how to heal from animals. A great example of this is the Osha plant. Osha, also known as Bear Root, can be used to stop bleeding, for curing colds and the flu and a number of other remedies. How do we know about Osha? The bears taught up. Bears will dig up this plant, chew on the root, then rub it all over their fur. They then shake out the fur and walk under it inhaling it. We can also learn how to cure our ailments by what plants and remedies chimpanzees use.

Another reason we should take cues as to how to exist from nature? The creatures that we share the planet with have been working on their survival designs for millions of years. Evolution has eliminated the species that weren't able to adapt. The ones that are here are amazing examples of how to live within an environment without destroying it. Biomimicry doesn't just turn to insects, animals and birds, it also turns to the land. By studying the prairie and how it thrives, we can learn how to plant foods and turn the prairie into an environment that can produce sustainable food and continue to regenerate.

The science involved is fascinating. Take for example the sea purse. The sea purse is a red algae that prevents bacteria from landing on its surface by jamming their communication signals with an environmentally friendly compound called furanone. How can we benefit? What place do we need an anti-bacterial environment more than a hospital? This could be a solution to preventing bacteria from landing on surfaces like operating tables and in patient's rooms without harsh chemicals that can compromise the immune system.

Another study is looking at a heat stable vaccine storage that doesn't need to be refrigerated. It's based on the resurrection plant that lays in a desiccated state for years. Imagine being able to preserve vaccines without electricity and what that could mean for remote villages in third world countries?

Looking to the spider, we could learn how to manufacture fiber – extremely strong fiber - without toxins. The brittle star self assembles distortion-free lenses out of sea water without having to heat it. The butterfly was the inspiration for the Qualcomm Company's Mirasol Displays that use the same reflected light principle that butterfly wings use to function with almost no power when a displayed image is static. Termite dens are a model for cooling systems in buildings. Shark skin was a famous example of the scales of the shark could be duplicated as a design for swimsuits used in the Olympics.

Biomimicry is based on borrowing ideas and not harvesting them or harvesting the product. So instead of setting up a spider farm to create fiber for us, or gathering up spiders out of a specific area, we study them in their natural environment, we watch what they do and then we figure out how we can do it.

There are three levels to Biomimicry. The first level involves mimicking natural form, kind of like mimicking the hooks and barbules in an owl's feathers to come up with Velcro. The copying in this instance may not be sustainable, which brings us to the second level. This is mimicking natural process of how the design or product was made. The third level mimics natural eco-systems and looks at the larger picture. It's not just about how this one product can help, but how does our making of this product either sustain or deplete the earth? In the creation we look at the purpose of the product and how that purpose contributes to a greater whole and how that can build life, not destroy it, how it can build up the land instead of take nourishment from it.

One aspect of Biomimicry that is very close to my heart is the Natural Systems Agriculture. It works with making a land both productive and sustainable. By planting seeds for food or grasses that work within the environment, we then invite beneficial insects that control harmful insect populations, which in turn eliminates the need for pesticides. Done the right way, the land won't need to be plowed. The focus for this to work is to only use plants and foods that occur naturally in that environment. In arid climates, planting bluegrass takes more water than the environment provides, so water is wasted. Because it is foreign to that environment, it attracts and breeds pests that don't have natural predators and becomes reason to use pesticides and insecticides. It's time to get back in tune with what the land can sustain and not what we want it to sustain. According to a survey by the National Biological Service, ½ of all native eco-systems in the US are degraded to the point of endangerment.

Eventually the Biomimicry Institute hopes we can model our societies on the oak and hickory forests. These forests ‘recycle all their wastes, use energy and materials efficiently and diversify and cooperate to use the habitat without bankrupting it.'

What the Biomimicry hopes to set up in the future is a database where all this information is stored and anyone around the world can access it. So for example if you are scientist in Nepal looking for a solution to creating heat without electricity, gas, or other means, you could tap into the is database and look for a plant or animal that does the same thing. The goal would be to have ideas that are in the public domain and not patented for the elite.

Could there be a dark side to Biomimicry? While it seems like the stuff of comic books, it could be very real. Biomimicry could be used for lethal devices or destructive purposes, but the possibilities for good are limitless and like any good comic book, good will always triumph over evil.

Next time you observe a starfish hanging on a wall, wonder how does it stick to the wall. Is there an underwater self-adhesive that could be found? What else can we learn from?

For more information about Biomimicry, visit the Biomimicry Institute.

About the Author

Undiscovered Earth is a resource for Exploration, <a href='http://www.undiscoveredearth.com/'>Environment</a>, and Expression. Undiscovered Earth is a voice for those who love the outdoors, nature and the environment and features profiles <a href='http://www.undiscoveredearth.com/category/profiles-environmental-profiles-people-and-environment/'>environmental news</a> , product reviews and poetry, fiction and essays.

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