Some of the most fascinating developments in technology have been inspired by animals — sometimes in the most unexpected ways.
The world around us is full of hidden wonders — and nature often does a lot better in many things than we humans can muddle. Increasingly, scientists and inventors are turning to the natural world for inspiration. Known as biomimicry, the practice examines the ways in which plants and animals are more efficient — and then applies those methods to human invention.
Click through the gallery to see some of the absolutely astonishing ways in which animals are changing our lives.
When you think about butterflies, you think of warm lazy days, gorgeous colours and probably pretty things, like rainbows and flowers. However, researchers at the General Electric Research Centre and the University of Albany, New York, see something more. They have developed a material that is inspired by the wings of the Morpho butterfly that enables them to better detect heat while cooling more efficiently.
The butterfly's wings (like those of all butterflies) are covered with tiny scales; in the case of the Morpho, the scales reflect some wavelengths of light, while absorbing others, which creates an iridescent effect. When the butterfly's wing heats up, it changes colour — an effect that the research team believes could be duplicated to produce cheap thermal-imaging sensors.
Another company that has drawn inspiration from the butterfly wing is Qualcomm for its Mirasol colour E Ink display, which has yet to hit the commercial market outside of Asia.
Caption by
Michelle Starr
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Photo by Morpho image by Eddy Van 3000, CC BY-SA 20