Curious Curation: Innovation Inspired by Nature

Innovation Inspired by Nature

 What does this mean exactly? Probably and most likely it would mean the process of studying and imitating natures best ideas to solve human problems. Biomimicry is the name given to this wonderfully innovative idea. The truth is, Nature has already solved many of the problems we deal with today as a human race. By “nature” meaning everything from plants to animals and even to the smallest specs of life. 

"We are learning how to harness energy like a leaf, build ceramics like an abalone, create color like a peacock, compute like a cell, run a business like a hickory forest..." -Janine Benyus

We as living beings have to find the best way to survive and live in a sustainable way, without harming the planet earth, and that is the promise Biomimicry holds for us. A path for a sustainable future. Scientist studying Biomimicry look into three ways of a studying process. Model, Measure and Mentor. Emulating nature's models by providing strategies to solve human problems. Nature has learned what works and what lasts over the process of millions of years, inevitably, nature as a measure is captured in life's principles. Nature as a mentor introduces an era based not on what we can extract from the natural world but what we can learn from it.


Introduction Written by Ernie Aguilar
Curation by: Ian Salamanca

Harness energy like a leaf

http://www.biomimicrynews.com/research/Blueprint_for_artificial_leaf_mimics_Mother_Nature.asp

Build shells like an abalone

 http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/case-studies/case-studies/abalone-inspires-lightweight-building-materials.html

Create color like a peacock  

http://dailythesisjournal.blogspot.com/2008/01/biomimicry-innovating-package-design.html?m=1

Compute like a cell

 http://www.robaid.com/bionics/fruit-fly-nervous-system-biomimicry-for-faster-computer-networks.htm

Manage a business like a hickory forest 

http://www.asknature.org/strategy/b101352e343607ce56105aa35d9cc042

Image Credits:

Janine Benyus - http://biomimicry.net/about/biomimicry/conversation-with-janine/
Leaf- http://www.asknature.org/strategy/714e970954253ace485abf1cee376ad8
Abalone- http://www.asknature.org/strategy/1bc69752671838d19b28981d5b5483f6
Peacock- http://osbsustainablefuture.org/home/section-newsletter/20101spring6isleleitch/
Fruit Fly- http://www.robaid.com/bionics/fruit-fly-nervous-system-biomimicry-for-faster-computer-networks.htm
Oak-Hickory- http://practicalbio.blogspot.com/2011/08/looking-into-forest-past-and-future.html