From whale fins to butterfly wings, there are many things that we still can’t replicate
today!!
Here are 10 ways that nature beats us in technology!
We still have a long way to go!!
10.
Clingfish
The clingfish is a type of mussel that is found along the North American Pacific Northwest
coast, and it has a unique adaptation that is far superior to anything modern technology
is able to achieve- its ability to hold on to things.
It can suck on to awkwardly shaped surfaces, and withstand forces of more than 150 times
its own weight before being able to let go just as easily!
It can do this because its pelvic and pectoral fins are fused together, which create a disc
on its underside similar to a suction cup.
The disc is covered in fine hair-like structures that enable it to create a seal, no matter
how uneven a surface is, and this is unlike any similar type of structure that has so
far been developed artificially.
Scientists are now looking at clingfish more thoroughly to see if this method can be replicated,
and they have a number of ideas on how this could be useful.
This clinging technology would be ideal to track sharks, whales, dolphins and all kinds
of sea creatures at varying depths and temperatures.
And the implications for medicine are huge.
Not to mention it could give us superpowers like walking on glass or buildings, the possibilities
for clinging to something are endless.
Advancements are still a long way off, though, so, for now, the clingfish remains the most
effective sucker on the planet.
9.
Butterfly Wings
We’ve all experienced it….
We’re outdoors, with the sun shining bright, and we get out our phones to check the latest
DM’s or status updates and it’s impossible to see the screen because of the light reflection.
It’s just too darn bright outside!!
Well, it turns out that a particular type of butterfly has already developed a solution
for this- one that researchers are trying to replicate for a wide range of materials.
The butterfly in question is known as the glasswing and is found in various regions
across South America.
It's easy to see why they get their name- as their wings seem to be completely transparent.
This is not the case, of course, and the appearance is a result of irregular, nanoscopic structures
that are on the wing surface.
It prevents the majority of reflections from any angle, which would be a very useful feature
for any type of display where glare becomes an issue.
German scientists are working on their own material, inspired by the glasswing butterfly.
You could see the technology incorporated into a smartphone, or any screen or even glass,
sometime soon.
8.
Mantis Shrimp
There are more than 400 different species of mantis shrimp living around the world in
tropical waters.
While they may look cute, don’t underestimate these creatures- they are one of the most
predatory animals in the world.
They are renowned for eating crabs, fish, and even each other, and they don’t make
great pets- some have been known to break out of their aquariums.
Many species are famous for their clubs aka, raptorial appendages that they can use to
punch with the same speed as a .22 caliber bullet to stun their prey.
It’s a little overkill and not great for aquariums!
The trick to their success is also something that is beyond current technological abilities-
their eyesight.
Humans have 3 different types of color receptor in their eyes, each of which interprets differing
wavelengths of light, but mantis shrimp have a whopping 16 different types.
Amongst the many benefits that this gives them, they are able to see polarised light-
an ability that would be incredibly useful for underwater photography and robots, improving
the effectiveness of sunglasses, and even, some have suggested, in the detection of cancer.
For an animal that seems so simple, and that we’d quite happily have on a plate for dinner,
the Mantis Shrimp has a lot of secrets that, if we were to unlock, could majorly improve
certain technologies.
And now for number 7, but first, are you subscribed yet??
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7.
Horseshoe Bats
We all know that bats use echolocation to find their way around and to hunt prey, but
horseshoe bats are particularly adept at this.
Their sound-based detection method is far superior to similar manmade devices, so researchers
are trying to replicate their ability.
They are uniquely adapted to echolocation.
The first step is the emission of squeaks from their noses, which contain folds of tissue
that are called noseleaves.
These can be moved around to change the frequency of the squeak, which allows them to search
for particular things.
One pitch, for example, is more responsive to the flutter of tiny wings than another,
and so is more ideal for finding small insects.
Furthermore, they can make minute changes to their ear structures that allow them to
interpret the sounds that come back, and understand exactly where something is.
Researchers are hoping that this method can be incorporated into sonar devices.
By developing a dynamic emitter and receiver, it’s hoped that detection methods can be
drastically improved, and able to more precisely target certain objects, such as submarines,
to see where they are.
6.
Whale Fins
Whales seem to majestically glide through the oceans with minimal effort, but even our
best aquatic technology struggles to keep up in such an efficient way.
By studying humpbacks, researchers have found that, what initially appears like an unimportant
feature, is actually crucial to their ability to swim.
If you look closely at their flippers, you'll see a series of bumps.
To aerodynamicists, these bumps look as if they're on the wrong side of the fins to have
any benefit, but it's recently been discovered that they are the secret to the humpback whale's
maneuverability.
By adding these Tubercles to aerofoils, it has been discovered that they have greater
lift and stall resistance than those without the bumps.
It’s such a major effect that designers of everything from planes to wind turbines
are looking to incorporate them to increase aerodynamic efficiency and, therefore, improve
the performance of their products!!
5.
Sea Sponges
Looking at a sea sponge you might not immediately realize what they could possibly have that
outdoes modern technology, but some of them are harboring a secret ability.
They are able to extract silicon from the surrounding seawater, and use it to create
the spiky filaments that cover their body- and it's this process that's of interest to
scientists, in particular, those involved in the production methods of solar panels.
Usually, the manufacturing process is a costly one, involving high temperatures, low pressures,
and a complex technique.
Learning from sea sponges, like the orange puffball sponge, could radically change this.
Their method for producing pristine silicon without requiring such extreme environments
would mean solar panel production can become much cheaper, and be more accessible to more
people.
The sponges can do it because of an enzyme called silicatein, which converts the silica
acid from the seawater into the spikes.
This type of structure can make the solar panels more efficient, too, so the search
is on to replicate the process, but by using the different chemicals needed for a photovoltaic
cell.
Hopefully, the seawater can be replaced by zinc nitrate, and by using ammonia instead
of the enzyme it should be possible to form zinc oxide crystals.
If this works, we may soon see solar energy usage increasing and our reliance on fossil
fuels becoming a thing of the past.
4.
Bamboo Scaffolding
If you were involved in building an apartment block, what material would you want the scaffolding
to be made from to feel safe?
Probably you'd say steel or at least a metal of some sort, but one of nature's most prolific
plants has been used for centuries in construction and, in some parts of the world, is still
the main type of construction material that’s used.
All of the modern buildings in Hong Kong, for example, begin as a shell of bamboo.
It’s an insane process- the scaffold builders use 23-foot bamboo poles and plastic ties
to keep everything in place, and they can rig up to 1,000 square feet of scaffolding
in a day!
Not only is bamboo as much as 30 percent cheaper than metal poles, but it can be naturally
grown in an environmentally friendly way.
It can be more easily shaped to the size needed and is just as strong, if not stronger.
Bamboo scaffolding sure isn't for everyone, but increasing its use can make construction
significantly cheaper and quicker.
3.
Pollinators
Bees are one of the most important creatures on earth and, along with other pollinators,
are responsible for the pollination of around 75 percent of the crops that we rely on.
To do this, they are nimble, able to fly in difficult environments, and can navigate between
plants like you or I would go to a store.
There's a problem, though, and that is that bee populations have been declining, and this
poses a real issue for companies in charge of food production.
How can they replicate the efficient way in which a bee darts across a field- placing
pollen in exactly the right places?
It’s clearly not feasible to have humans doing it, but Walmart has begun to experiment
with other ideas.
They have filed patents for autonomous bees- basically robot versions of the insects that
can act just like the real thing.
They use cameras and sensors to decide which flowers to go to and could keep going for
much longer than a bee that needs to support its hive.
Of course, registering a patent is very different to actually having the tech that works and,
as far as we know, Walmart hasn't got to the point where bees can be replaced.
And it’s more than likely it will never happen.
For now, we need to continue to rely on our fuzzy friends and do everything that we can
to protect them.
2.
Kingfishers
Have you ever been fortunate enough to see a Kingfisher bird, around a pond or lake,
hunting?
They are majestic creatures, that can swoop down and pull a meal from the water with seemingly
very little effort.
The physics behind this ability, though is very complicated.
The birds, with their large heads, are able to push their beaks into water with minimal
splashing- something other similarly sized birds are unable to do.
The reason why the kingfisher is so special is because of the shape of its bill, and it
has helped designers improve technology in an unlikely place.
The lack of splash indicates there's an extremely efficient maintenance of aerodynamics when
the bird moves from the air into the water, and Japanese scientists realized that this
could help them solve a problem they encounter with high-speed bullet trains.
When the vehicles enter tunnels, they are going from open air into a space where the
air is compressed, and by mimicking the shape of the kingfisher’s bill on the nose cone
of the trains, they were able to substantially reduce the amount of friction that’s encountered.
This allows the bullet trains to maintain their speed, and reduce unwanted noise that
would otherwise be produced.
1.
Firefly Light Bulbs
If you've ever seen a swarm of fireflies buzzing around, then you'll know how vivid and brilliant
the light they create can be.
It's formed by a chemical reaction in specialized cells called ‘photocytes’, which results
in light being emitted through a specially adapted part of their exoskeleton called the
cuticle.
In any scenario where light travels through a transparent material, it travels slower
than it would in the air, and this means that a certain proportion is reflected back within,
therefore dimming the glare.
Some fireflies have a unique adaptation, though, where the unique geometry of their cuticles
means that less light is reflected, and they can glow brighter.
This increased efficiency has been of interest to scientists because the same reflection
effect occurs within artificial lights.
It leads to a not-so-insignificant amount of wastage, and the fireflies' adaptation
could be the answer to solving the issue.
If the cuticle geometry can be replicated on the material that bulbs are made from,
then more light will pass through- meaning they become far more efficient!!
It's yet another example of how natural structures are far more effective than those that we've
designed ourselves!
We still have a lot of work to do!!
Thanks for watching!!
Maybe we’ll see some of these implementations soon!
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Byeeee