We have a lot to learn from nature. The following products were made with hints for their unique features from plants and animals.
1The kingfisher is good at catching fish in rivers without making a splash. A Japanese engineer found that the kingfisher’s long beak reduces impact when it hits the water. He designed the Shinkansen. It runs more quietly.
2One day, after walking his dog, an engineer found a lot of cockleburs on the dog’s legs. The cocklebur hooks stick to shoes, clothes and other things. He made the hook-and-loop fastener. It is now used for many purposes.
3Have you seen raindrops roll off an umbrella? It’s called the “lotus effect.” The surface of a lotus leaf is not smooth. That is why drops of water run down the leaf and it is always clean. An umbrella uses this effect.
4This car runs smoothly and doesn’t use much fuel. The reason is that it has low air resistance. The design uses the shape of the boxfish. It is very stable and has little resistance in the water.
5The soles of the runner’s shoes have a honeycomb pattern. Materials like this with a lot of cells are light and hard, and easily transmit power. We can find the honeycomb structure on cardboard boxes and the wings of an airplane.
6A maple seed looks like a taketombo. It has two propeller-shaped blades and turns around in the wind. Scientists have studied the wind power the blades produce. They use this mechanism for many purposes, such as windmills, helicopters and drones.