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Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
This profound and accessible book details how science is studying nature's best ideas to solve our toughest 21st-century problems.
If chaos theory transformed our view of the universe, biomimicry is transforming our life on Earth. Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature - taking advantage of evolution's 3.8 billion years of R&D since the first bacteria. Biomimics study
...morePaperback, 320 pages
Published
September 17th 2002
by William Morrow & Company
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The first chapter of this 1997 book should be mandatory curriculum in... something - whatever discipline you can lock this philosophical framework for technical applications of environmental science. It is engineering, biology, and philosophy wrapped up into one.
Her premise isn't the standard concept of "biomimicry": that nature learns from its own mistakes and evolves, and that mimicry is one way species learn.
She instead posits that over billions of years...more
Her premise isn't the standard concept of "biomimicry": that nature learns from its own mistakes and evolves, and that mimicry is one way species learn.
She instead posits that over billions of years...more
This general idea that this book attempts to cover, taking inspiration from biology to solve human problems, is quite fascinating and holds much promise. Unfortunately this book did not, and presented the subject terribly. She (a) completely misunderstood (b) deliberately presented wrong or (c) really badly explained most the science invovled. I had to cringe at times in the photosynthesis and 'quantum consciousness' parts. She also at times seemed to imply that we should simply go back on 5,000...more
This book talked about how we can approach design and invention by modeling things after biological systems. The idea is that nature does things the smartest and most efficient way possible. While reading this book, it made me think how not really nature, but God instead has designed our world to be so perfect and amazing... better than we can design ourselves - although we try, and completely fail. The first third of this book covered agriculture and our abhorrent misuse of it. This was pro...more
I wonder, whether principles, described in there have gained mainstay popularity in material science engineering circles... The book describes extremely well the ways and means to transform our current (since 1999 some things got better, some worse) unsustainable society to something living as a part of biosphere, without falling in the ecoterrorism or caveman activism, so widespread in more "advanced" circles.
In fact I was surprised, that even in USA the biotechnology and biomimicry i...more
In fact I was surprised, that even in USA the biotechnology and biomimicry i...more
goodreads has an incredible API and yet there is very little WordPress support for goodreads. Which is shocking since WP is the dominant platform where this integration would most likely thrive. There is one or two WP plugins that have ceased to be supported and both do not deal with public GROUPS only individual shelves...
We have an education site and would like to be able to simply SHOW the books listed in the group bookshelf, very similar to your output here (in the group bookshelf ...more
We have an education site and would like to be able to simply SHOW the books listed in the group bookshelf, very similar to your output here (in the group bookshelf ...more
Something I need to quickly get off my chest about this book... Hubris. This particular word appeared a remarkable number of times in Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. I suppose that's appropriate given the subject matter, but I found myself dreading the very mention of it. Probably just me though.
In any case, this book (which reads like a collection of several essays) is a fascinating introduction to the untapped potential of naturally inspired thinking. I recommend it to any...more
In any case, this book (which reads like a collection of several essays) is a fascinating introduction to the untapped potential of naturally inspired thinking. I recommend it to any...more
I was introduced to the work of Janine Benyus by a student of mine about a year and a half ago, and have been meaning to read this book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, ever since. This summer, I decided it was going to be a priority for my summer reading list, and it is the first one that I get to cross off.
The first thing I have to say about this book is that the concepts behind it are fabulous... if you want to learn more about Janine Benyus and what she does, check out her ted.com...more
The first thing I have to say about this book is that the concepts behind it are fabulous... if you want to learn more about Janine Benyus and what she does, check out her ted.com...more
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As a book that I'm sure is meant to appeal to the widest possible audience without sacrificing content, I think it performs admirably. She nimbly navigates a gray area between many disciplines and, in so doing, demonstrates the importance of cross-pollination when drawing conclusions from academic research. I noticed other reviewers have said it's too dense, but I'm glad she included all the data. I was actually surprised to realize partway through the book that I was holding a valuable piece...more
Quite an in-depth description of observing and studying nature more closely to solve human problems. Really fascinating thinking and exciting to realize that there are more and more scientists who are starting to use this sort of technique. However, I tire fairly easily of the patronizing tone of the "environmentally enlightened" and do not enjoy when authors shrug off religious ideas as if they were relics. Granted, I am overly sensitive in both of these categories, and these attitude...more
This is an inspiring book. Sometimes difficult, but definitely worth the work. the book describes the work of several scientists working on creating ecology supporting technologies that mimic the miraculous in nature.
I especially liked the descriptions of polyculture versus monoculture. The prairie, for example takes care of itself. Its many varieties of plants each have their jobs and thrive on various climate conditions. If their is a drought certain species will thrive that seaso...more
I especially liked the descriptions of polyculture versus monoculture. The prairie, for example takes care of itself. Its many varieties of plants each have their jobs and thrive on various climate conditions. If their is a drought certain species will thrive that seaso...more
What an inspiring treatise on the ways that nature can teach us superior materials designs, farming techniques, and solutions to other issues. With global economic and environmental woes spelling doom on so many levels, Janine Benyus offers startlingly obvious ways to recover that invite innovation and collaboration between designers, engineers, scientists, and the human race. I'm there.
A really interesting and at some times inspiring book. The parts about creating perennial grains to biomic the prairie for farming and animal self medication were particularly good. It drags in the middle as she tries to make lab work seem exciting - having worked in a lab before, I know it is for the most part not.
I'd recommend the chapters on farming, how we heal ourselves, and how we'll conduct business - the rest of the book was a little slow.
I'd recommend the chapters on farming, how we heal ourselves, and how we'll conduct business - the rest of the book was a little slow.
Unlike a textbook, it develops quickly. Quickly. Quickly. But like a textbook, I will return to it year after year or month after month. Also, I wish there was a book that followed up. As it was written over a decade ago, I'm sure there was progress in the movement and I wish there was only one book to which to turn.
I saw her lecture at my university and knew I had to read the book. It's an amazing work that opens up a new world for scientific research. This book focuses on the great amount of knowledge that we can gain from studying the natural world and empathizes the need to protect and preserve all we can.
A lot of the ideas presented in this book fall into a sort of "wouldn't it be nice if we could, but we can't" category. Of course, that might be because designers and innovators are not trying. However, this book presents the ideas of biomimicry with great optimistic energy.
Fantastic book - a must read if you're into sustainability and the environment. Beautifully written. I've posted an ordinary mind map kind of summary here:
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/137325/Shelfa...
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/137325/Shelfa...
I really enjoyed this and was amazed to see she wrote it in 1997...unfortunately 12 years later I'm not sure we have done a very good job following her elegant and very grounded in science and biology plea to truly learn from nature rather than taking from her. I especially enjoyed her chapters on healing ourselves and how we store what we learn. I also loved her call to be more like the redwood than a ragweed and although I found myself skipping over some of the scientific information, I found ...more
Alan Webber
is currently reading it
Terrific book! Fascinating science, excellent story-telling, and enormously relevant to where we are--dealing with economic and environmental challenges that need new answers
it definitely has the right idea, although it gets a bit technical to keep a layman interest at points, i was hoping for a broader review of available technologies
I think the topic of this book is very interesting, however most of the book seems to be about the lives of people who practice these technologies. Each chapter talks about the way we’re making poor ecological choices. But we knew this more than ten years ago. It was hard for me to find technologies inspired by biological systems (that are currently being used). I guess I was looking for success stories.
Just wow, it gave me more hope in humanity. I couldn't put this book down it was so interesting.
Forgetting bioengineering, biomimicry is where it's at~!
Forgetting bioengineering, biomimicry is where it's at~!
Ordered chaos. Scientific beauty. A inspiration for mankind. This is a must read if you are a designer, artist or lover of science.
Lisalis
is currently reading it
I've had this book on my shelf forever and I've seen Janine Benyus on TED... love her. So I'm looking forward to this book finally.
Not done but it's awesome.
Gennadyi
rated it
Recommends it for:
nature lovers, environmentalists, and everyone else
Shelves:
nature-or-science
cool book that brings up examples of human ingenuity that were inspired or borrowed from nature. with chapters focusing on farming, material science, business and medicine any biophile can find something new or interesting.
a word of warning: the computer chapter feels very outdated but don't be discouraged, the rest of the book is still great.
a word of warning: the computer chapter feels very outdated but don't be discouraged, the rest of the book is still great.
I heard the writer give a fascinating lecture on TEDtalks and had to hear more. Some of the ideas are pretty mind blowing. Although, I wish their was a revised version of this book. It was written in the mid-nineties and I would like to have updates on the ideas and technologies within. I guess I just need to do the footwork.
A series of examples of how different researchers are using natural phenomena as an inspiration in the design of processes. The author covers each example quite thoroughly and I was a bit lost on some of the technical aspects of biology -- but the level of depth is valuable in that she avoid glossing over the details.
Has a lot of detailed information that went over my head, but was able to continue reading and understanding what was being said in a big picture way. Loved the chapter on "how do we heal ourselves", the chapter on "how do we store what we learn" was the most difficult.
Excruciating Style
flamboyant and vapid. insane claims about roots of consciousness in microtubules of neurons. Interesting bit on bio computers using DNA and light-sensitive proteins. Fortunately, author often quotes scientists at length-only good bits
flamboyant and vapid. insane claims about roots of consciousness in microtubules of neurons. Interesting bit on bio computers using DNA and light-sensitive proteins. Fortunately, author often quotes scientists at length-only good bits
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