This document provides an overview of biomimicry, which is the imitation of models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. It discusses how nature has already solved many engineering problems over hundreds of millions of years of evolution. The document then presents several case studies of biomimicry at different scales, from the form and shape of individual organisms to complex ecological processes and systems. It argues that emulating nature's designs can help make human systems more sustainable, resilient and well-adapted. The document concludes by discussing how biomimicry can be incorporated into education through experiential and project-based learning that connects students to nature.

1. BIOMIMICRY:
LEARNING FROM
NATURE
April 2012

2. WHAT IS NATURE?
Photo Credit: Gord McKenna CCABYANC

3. Photo Credit: WiKimedia user Hagainativ CCABYASA

4. Photo Credit: WiKimedia user Patriotmissile, CCABYASA

5. Photo Credit: Calypso Orchid, CCABYANCAND

6. HUMAN DESIGN
• Mining–39 billion tons/yr
• Heat treating – over 1,400 °C releases 6% of GHG
• Packaging
• Shipping
Photo Credits LAR: Dionatan ZibeS, CCABYANC; WiKimedia user Linguistic Demographer, public domain; FlicKr user Judy_&_Ed, CCABYANC

7. NATURE’S DESIGN
• Built to shape
• Created on site
• Uses CO2 as a building block
• Waste-free
• 450 million year old process
Stony coral
Photo Credit: NOAA, public domain

8. Instead of mining ancient sea beds,
couldn’t we learn to make this
material the way corals do?
Photo Credit: WiKimedia user Jstuby, public domain
Fossilized coral

9. BIOMIMICRY
“The conscious emulation of life’s genius is a survival strategy for
The human race, a path to a sustainable future. The more our
World functions like the natural world, the more likely we are to
Endure on this home that is ours, but not ours alone.” –J.B.
Photo © Biomimicry 3.8, used with permission

10. WELL8ADAPTED DESIGN
“Nature, imaginative by necessity, has already solved many of the problems we are
Grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the consummate engineers. They
Have found what works, what is appropriate, and most important, what lasts here
On Earth.” – J.B.
Photo Credit: NASA, public domain

11. A BIT OF PERSPECTIVE
If the history of the earth were compressed into a calendar year…
November:
15th: fungi
20th: fish
Earth
formed
Jan
Feb 25th: life appears
Feb 28th: photosynthesis evolves
Feb
March
April
22nd: plants
24th: insects
Aug 16th: multicellular life
May
June
July
AuG
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
December:
2nd : amphibians
6th : reptiles
13th: mammals
18th: birds
• All of human history would take place
in the last half hour of the last day.
• The industrial revolution would take
place in the last 2 seconds.
20th: flowers
December 31st
11:00 am: hominids walk
11:36 pm: homo sapiens
11:59 pm: agriculture
11:59:58 : industrial revolution
Image of human figures: NASA public domain

12. MAL-ADAPTED DESIGN
Heat, beat, and treat
• High temperatures
• High pressures
• Toxic chemical processes
Photo Credit: TJ BlacKwell, CCABY

13. A RECURRING THEME
“Human ingenuity may make various inventions…but it will never devise any inventions more beautiful,
nor more simple, nor more to the purpose than Nature does; because in her inventions nothing is
wanting and nothing is superfluous.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
Photo Credit: Leonardo da Vinci, public domain

14. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

15. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Ethos
Photo Credit: MarK S. Elliot, CCABYANC

16. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
(Re)Connect
Photo Credit: Credit:Conor Keller, CCABYANCAND
Photo Kevin Denali National ParK, CCABY

17. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
Emulate
© Mary Hansel, used with permission

18. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

19. A MATTER OF SCALE
Form - shape, surface, texture
Process - a series of opera:ons
Ecosystem – a network operating
together in an ongoing cycle
Photo Credits LAR: Hans Hillewaert, CCABYASA; WiKimedia user Hagainativ, CCABYASA; Ireen Trummer, CCABYASA

20. CASE STUDY 8 FORM
Photo Credits LAR: Albert KoK, CCABYASA; SharKlet logo; © SharKlet Technologies LLC, used with permission

21. CASE STUDY 8 PROCESS
Photo Credits LAR: NOAA, public domain; Calera logo; MarK Dumont, CCABY

22. CASE STUDY 8 SYSTEM
Living Machines
Kalundborg
ZERI Systems
Photo Credits LAR: Max Baars, CCABYASA; Bruce Chung, CCABYANCASA; ©Emily Harrington, used with permission

23. BIOMIMICRY IN EDUCATION
• Project-based and experiential learning
• TeamworK
• NGSS Crosscutting concepts
Photo Credits LAR: FlicKr user Blese, CCABYANC; FlicKr user VSFDigitalDesign, CCABY; Phil Roeder, CCABYANCAND

24. BIOMIMICRY IN EDUCATION
Research has demonstrated:
“four days of immersion in nature,
and the corresponding disconnection
from multi-media and technology,
increases performance on a creative
Problem-solving task by a full 50%.”
Atchley RA, Strayer DL, Atchley P 2012 Creativity
in the Wild: Improving Creative Reasoning through
Immersion in Natural Settings. PLoS ONE
Photo Credit: North Cascades National ParK, CCABYANCASA

25. BIOMIMICRY IN EDUCATION
Photo Credit: 350.org, CCABYANCASA

26. SEEING DIFFERENTLY
LEARNING ABOUT:
• Scientific name:
Pinus ponderosa
• Found in low A mid
elevations throughout
the U.S.
• USDA Hardiness Zones
3A7
• Important U.S. timber
species
• Needles 5A10 long, in
clusters of 3
Ponderosa Pine
Photo Credit: J Stephen Conn, CCABYANC

27. SEEING DIFFERENTLY
LEARNING ABOUT:
LEARNING FROM:
• Scientific name:
Pinus ponderosa
• Leaves create solar
energy without toxins
• Found in low A mid
elevations throughout
• Xylem transports water
hundreds of feet without
the U.S.
fuel.
• USDA Hardiness Zones
3A7
• Canopy reAhumidifies air
• Uses CO2 as a building
material
• Important U.S. timber
species
• Expertly lightAweighted
materials
• Needles 5A10 long, in
clusters of 3
Ponderosa Pine
Photo Credit: J Stephen Conn, CCABYANC

28. THANK YOU
For sharing biomimicry
with your students.
Visit ben.biomimicry.net to access
additional teaching resources.
Photo Credit: Kati Fleming, CCABYASA