Biomimicry in action

Janine Benyus, a biologist and author who popularised the term biomimicry in her 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, has a message for inventors in this 2009 TED talk: when solving a design problem, look to nature first.

In nature, she argues, you will find inspired designs for making things waterproof, aerodynamic, solar-powered and more. In the talk she shows dozens of new products that take their cue from nature, with spectacular results. It is a useful perspective for designers interested in sustainable design and in borrowing proven solutions from other fields.