Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature

by Dora Lee, Margot Thompson (Illustrator)

Biomimicry examines the extraordinary innovations of the natural world and the human inventions they have inspired. Readers will learn about marvels such as high-performance swimsuits modeled after sharkskin and the sleek front ends of Japanese bullet trains based on the long, streamlined beak of the kingfisher. There's also plenty about what glimmers on the horizon: A Brazilian beetle may be key to developing computers that run on light, and the gecko's humble foot may hold the secret to revolutionizing the way surgical wounds are closed. Best of all, nature's inventions are lean, green machines that are self-sustaining and generate zero waste -- yet another cue humans are taking from the natural world. Astounding facts, easy-to-understand prose and luminous illustrations bring the wonders of nature into the science lab.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Nature, Design, Picture Books, Childrens, Natural History

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, Vancouver based author Dora Lee textually packs her 2011 picture book Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature with extensive examples of how human inventions often follow the innovations of nature, using the latter to provide solutions for problems, to make life easier, more productive, safer etc. (such as Swiss inventor George de Mestral basing his velcro invention on cockleburs, engineers in Zimbabwe using termite mounds as a blueprint to create cost efficient air conditioning, robotic experts using rats' whiskers for navigational designs, wild prairie grasses acting as a model for more effective and less environmentally destructive farming and indeed so on and so on, as these examples are only a few of many being presented by Lee in Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature).

Now Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature is divided into seventeen separate categories (as well as an introduction, glossary and index) and these sections feature several short entries that have Dora Lee engagingly, educationally and also thankfully without scientific jargon discussing different ways nature has inspired science and technology and with each of these being no more than a paragraph in length. But unfortunately, for both my inner child and also for my older adult reading self, the very short and not in any way even remotely sufficiently intensive bits and pieces of information Lee provides in Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature, they leave a rather annoying feeling of frustrating textual incompleteness, of wanting more, of needing more but more not really ever getting enough facts, figures and analysis. And while of course, one might then claim that Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature could serve as a decent starting off point for further study and research, well, considering that there are no bibliographical materials AT ALL included and provided by Dora Lee in Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature, this rather major academic/intellectual shortcoming alongside of the rather too on the surface, too extensive without enough intensity main textual body of Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature, it certainly has both bothered me and also negatively affected potential reading pleasure (and yes, with no lists of books and/or websites for further study being given, this certainly does make supplemental research on the topics etc. provided and introduced in Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature much more difficult and much more time consuming and potentially frustrating).

And thus, only a three star rating for what Dora Lee is textually providing with Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature (and as such equally only recommended with some necessary caveats and reservations on my part). But actually lowered to two stars, because while I do think that Toronto illustrator Margot Thompson's accompanying artwork for Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature is aesthetically pleasant, is visually appealing enough and as such does a pretty nice job successfully mirroring Lee's printed words, for me personally (and indeed very strongly), I really do both want and actually even need not just drawn pictures but also photographs, and that no photographs at all being present in Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature, this just does not work at all well for me and leaves me peeved).

[Vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the things i've been thinking about is how to talk about science and not be so human-focused (design thinking) and also connected learning focus (this is just like that and can be used that). and observing. thinking.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent look at technologies that have been inspired by the natural world and interesting discussions on what other inventions can be inspired by nature.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of cool information. Better for browsing, good jumping-off-point for further research.