From Nature's Sketchbook to Human Ingenuity
Exploring the Wonder of Biomimicry!
The Honeycomb, The Perfect Design
Efficiency: Hexagonal shapes allow for optimal use of space and material.
Strength: Hexagons provide structural stability and resilience against external forces.
Symmetry: Hexagonal patterns exhibit natural symmetry, pleasing to the eye and conducive to balanced designs.
Scalability: Hexagonal structures can be easily scaled up or down while maintaining integrity.
Interlocking: Hexagons tessellate seamlessly, creating strong bonds between neighboring cells or components.
Lightweight: The inherent geometry of hexagons minimizes material usage without compromising strength.
Flexibility: Hexagonal patterns allow for flexibility in design and adaptation to various applications.
Thermal insulation: The air pockets within hexagonal structures provide natural insulation properties.
Ventilation: The hexagonal shape facilitates airflow and ventilation, important for regulating temperature and moisture.
Adaptability: Hexagonal designs found in nature inspire versatile solutions across architecture, engineering, and product design.
See
Discover a world where nature's ingenuity sparks incredible innovation beyond Velcro's inspiration from clinging burrs.
Explore biomimicry's wonders, from bullet trains mimicking the kingfisher's beak to self-healing concrete inspired by rock-dwelling bacteria. Learn how nature's solutions are reshaping technology, pushing boundaries, and transforming the way we think about design and problem-solving!
Concrete, crucial in construction, deteriorates over time, incurring billions globally for repairs yearly. Scientist Hendrik Marius Jonkers introduced self-healing concrete, embedding dormant limestone-producing bacteria within. When cracks form, the bacteria reactivate, filling cracks with limestone. With a 200-year lifespan, this innovation could save billions in repair costs and time.
Shark skin, with its dermal denticles, reduces drag and propels sharks efficiently. Inspired by this, Speedo & NASA designed swimsuits for the 2008 US Olympic swimming team, winning 98% of gold medals. The denticles' ridges also resist bacterial attachment, offering potential for self-cleaning materials in hospitals and schools.
The Myxomycete, or slime mold, is a unicellular organism with remarkable navigation abilities despite lacking a brain or nervous system. In an experiment in Japan, it mapped the country's rail network by following its food source, oat flakes, placed at major city locations. This suggests potential applications in traffic mapping and urban planning in developing regions.
SEAS and MIT researchers have created an adaptive shoe grip using the Kirigami technique from Japan. The material is cut to mimic snake scales: when stretched, spikes pop out, enhancing grip; when flattened, spikes retract, allowing smooth movement. This design makes the shoes grippy yet lightweight, enabling wearers to navigate surfaces with the agility of a snake.
The 1989 Shinkansen bullet train faced noise issues exiting tunnels. Inspired by nature, its lead designer modeled its front after the kingfisher's beak for silent, fast movement. Connectors mimicked owl wings and penguin bellies. Result? 10% faster, 15% less power, and as quiet as a kingfisher.
Say
How can studying animals and plants lead to innovative solutions for human challenges?
In what ways does biomimicry contribute to sustainability and environmental conservation?
How can biomimicry foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of the natural world?
Do
Dig in to the science of Hexagons and read Why Nature Prefers Hexagons
Go to Learn Biomimicry to see many more examples of biomimicry and how it impacts our lives.
Create an artwork incorporating many cut out hexagons, play with the tessellations to see how your art changes.
Study the natural world around you. What do you marvel over? How might humans adopt that into beneficial design?
Join Wonder Mob, a community of ‘wonderers’ like you! MN Readers, sign up for kids summer camps and classes! Please share your reflections with me by replying to this post, or post and tag my Wonder Wander Facebook or Instagram pages!
