Biomimicry -A Key to the Planet's Energy Future?: "Biomimicry is a new science that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Studying a leaf to invent a better solar cell is an example of this “innovation inspired by nature.”
Being that the supply of crude oil is finite, the very foundation of our economy will one day run dry. Nature, on the other hand, runs on the unlimited bounty of sunlight and creates no waste. Unlimited clean energy is just one example of the genius of nature which author Janine Benyus points out in her landmark work, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.
A fascinating example of a next-generation power source mimicking the genius of nature is the Australian firm BioPower Systems, which has developed Biowave: an ocean power system that harnesses energy by mimicking the motion of underwater plants in the ocean currents to generate electricity.
Biowave is but one example of biomimicking many that Benyus points out we would do well to learn from: Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage. Black bears hibernate all winter without poisoning themselves on their urea, while their polar cousins stay active with a coat of transparent hollow hairs covering their skins like the panes of a greenhouse. Chameleons and cuttlefish hide without moving, changing the pattern of their skin to instantly blend with their surroundings. Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, while whales and penguins dive without scuba gear."
Being that the supply of crude oil is finite, the very foundation of our economy will one day run dry. Nature, on the other hand, runs on the unlimited bounty of sunlight and creates no waste. Unlimited clean energy is just one example of the genius of nature which author Janine Benyus points out in her landmark work, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.
A fascinating example of a next-generation power source mimicking the genius of nature is the Australian firm BioPower Systems, which has developed Biowave: an ocean power system that harnesses energy by mimicking the motion of underwater plants in the ocean currents to generate electricity.
Biowave is but one example of biomimicking many that Benyus points out we would do well to learn from: Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage. Black bears hibernate all winter without poisoning themselves on their urea, while their polar cousins stay active with a coat of transparent hollow hairs covering their skins like the panes of a greenhouse. Chameleons and cuttlefish hide without moving, changing the pattern of their skin to instantly blend with their surroundings. Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, while whales and penguins dive without scuba gear."
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