Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
Human beings have come a long way in terms of innovation and creating cities, economies, and societies. However, this progress has also resulted in several sustainability challenges that could impact future generations. Biomimicry is a solution that looks towards nature for inspiration and direction to sustainably solve these pressing challenges. In this article, we will dive into the definition of biomimicry and explore some of its examples.
What is Biomimicry?
Biomimicry is a practice that involves imitating life. It is derived from the Greek word “bios” meaning life and “mimesis” meaning imitate. Biomimicry is a sustainable innovation approach that looks towards nature for inspiration. It aims to create policies, products, and processes that are adapted to life on Earth. It takes inspiration from the research and development carried out by plants, animals, and microbes over billions of years. Biomimicry aims to create solutions that are efficient, effective, and sustainable.
Sustainable Energy Solutions
One of the most significant sustainability challenges that we face today is sustainable energy provision. Many companies and researchers are working on finding economically viable solutions for this challenge. Biomimicry offers a unique perspective in this regard by asking, “What could we learn from nature that could help us produce sustainable energy or make current alternative technologies more efficient?”
WhalePower is an example of biomimicry in action for sustainable energy solutions. Humpback whales have large irregular bumps called “tubercules” across their flippers that allow them to display surprising agility in the water. WhalePower has developed turbine blades with bumps called tubercules on the leading edge, inspired by humpback whales’ flippers. These blades promise greater efficiency in various applications, including wind turbines, hydroelectric turbines, irrigation pumps, and ventilation fans. Using these blades to catch wind could provide up to 20% increased efficiency, making alternative energy competitive with other energy sources.
The Shinkansen Bullet Train
The Shinkansen Bullet Train is one of the fastest trains globally, offering high-speed travel between several of Japan’s metropolitan areas. However, every time the train emerged from a tunnel, air pressure changes caused a sonic boom that sounded like a large thunderclap. This created a significant noise pollution challenge that had to be solved. The train’s chief engineer was a dedicated birdwatcher who asked himself, “Is there something in nature that travels quickly and smoothly between two different mediums?”
The Kingfisher bird became the inspiration for solving the noise pollution problem. Kingfishers dive from the air into water to catch fish and produce almost no splash compared to other similarly sized birds or animals. Modelling the front end of the train after the beak of Kingfishers resulted in a quieter train that used 15% less electricity while travelling 10% faster.
Conclusion
Biomimicry is a sustainable innovation approach that offers a unique perspective in solving our most pressing sustainability challenges. It looks towards nature for inspiration and direction to create policies, products, and processes that are efficient, effective, and sustainable. As illustrated in the examples above, biomimicry offers a world of possibilities that could help us create a better future by emulating nature’s design.