Mimic Makers

Book excerpt: Who's the best teacher for scientists, engineers, AND designers? Mother nature, of course! When an inventor is inspired by nature for a new creation, they are practicing something called biomimicry. Meet ten real-life scientists, engineers, and designers who imitate plants and animals to create amazing new technology. An engineer shapes the nose of his train like a kingfisher's beak. A scientist models her solar cell on the mighty leaf. Discover how we copy nature's good ideas to solve real-world problems! “Amazing! . . . Love that the book features the scientists and inventors, and that there is a diverse set of them. I find that the best way to introduce people of any age to biomimicry is to tell the stories of the stars: the organisms and their biomimics!” —Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute