Author Archives: tstacey

Next generation DVDs inspired the humble Mantis shrimp

Posted on 24/06/2013 by tstacey

Mantis shrimps, in a study from the University of Bristol published in Nature Photonics, are found on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and have the most complex vision systems known to science. They can see in twelve colours and … Continue reading →

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Foods with edible coverings, nothing new there!

Posted on 13/03/2013 by tstacey

Source: http://www.coolhunting.com/food-drink/wikicells.php We package our food in all sorts of non-biodegradable solutions from wax coated cardboard, layers of plastics, and other materials. Some of the better solutions come from harvesting substances from nature, but many still come from pulling oil … Continue reading →

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Could Geckos give the answer to Spider-Man?

Posted on 10/12/2012 by tstacey

Have you ever wanted to walk up walls or across ceilings like Spider-Man? Gecko Tape may be the way to do it. The tape is a material covered with nanoscopic hairs that mimic those found on the feet of gecko … Continue reading →

Posted in Locomotion | Leave a comment

Solving The World’s Water Crisis With A Beetle?

Posted on 27/09/2012 by tstacey

Here’s a cool bit of Biomimicry created from a beetle called the Namib Desert Beetle which has proved its resiliency and developed the ability to provide itself with water in a desert! The beetle uses its back to extract a water supply … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving the planet | Leave a comment

A New Design For Drawing Pins Made By Biomimicry

Posted on 10/06/2012 by tstacey

Invented more than a century ago in the UK, the simply designed drawing pin is hard to know how it could be improved… unless you stick a finger into a box of these pins to try to pick one out … Continue reading →

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Concentrated Solar Power

Posted on 17/03/2012 by tstacey

We’ve all seen concentrated solar power (CSP) plants — those rows and rows of shiny mirror heliostats all crowded around a 100-metre-high pillar, like worshippers peering up at a towering god. The orchestra of mirrors track the sun throughout the … Continue reading →

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The Coolest Cases of Biomimicry – Velcro

Posted on 31/10/2011 by tstacey

The most famous example of biomimicry was the invention of Velcro brand fasteners. Invented in 1941 by Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who took the idea from the burrs that stuck tenaciously to his dog’s hair. Under the microscope he … Continue reading →

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