Surprising Science — February 2, 2011

Emulating Nature in the Lab

Nature is smart, efficient and innovative. That’s why scientists and engineers all over the world try to copy it in their labs. The field concerned with imitating nature is called biomimetics.

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Tim McGee, a senior biologist with the Biomimicry Institute, says: “Biomimicry is the conscious emulation of nature’s wisdom.” He works for a nonprofit that brings together scientists, engineers, and architects to create sustainable technologies. “It’s looking to nature to understand the patterns of how it works, why it works.” … Implanting electrodes in the brain can help treat neurological problems, but the hard plastic used to make them lessened the positive effects of the treatment. In 2008, scientists at Case Western Reserve University looked to sea cucumber skin for a solution.

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