Lesson 1: Learning from Nature

Video Lesson:

Competencies(MLC):

After the successful completion of this section, the student will be able to:

• Learn technologies from nature.
• Recognize devices copied from biological nature.
• Design devices from biological structural mechanisms.

Brainstorming Questions:

1. Before starting this section, ask yourself this question ‘What do I know about learning from nature and what do I want to
   learn from this section?’

2. How do ecosystems maintain balance and efficiency, and what lessons can we apply to solving human challenges like resource management or waste reduction?

3. What can studying the behavior and adaptations of plants, animals, and microorganisms teach us about survival, collaboration, and problem-solving?

Key terms:

Biomimicry, Ecological Design, Nature’s Patterns (Biomimetic Patterns)

1.1 Learning from Nature

• Nature is the physical, natural and material world of life that exists without human intervention. It includes landscape sceneries, water and forest ecosystems, weather, organisms, geology, celestial bodies and inanimate objects, etc.
• Organisms have well-adapted structures and that make them survive on their immediate environment.
• Nature provides us with doable structures and forms which can be developed as functional and applicable mechanisms for various technological systems.
• Scientists and engineers learn from nature through imitation of physical structures, shapes, materials and functional mechanisms of natural facts.
• The better their understanding the diverse nature of biological materials, the better their ability to develop technologies.
• Using imitation of nature, they can sketch the biological structures, design functional mechanisms and tune into more efficient technologies at macro (large) and nano (very small) scales through imitation.

What are the technologies imitated from nature?

• The design and adaptation of many technologies we utilize today imitated natural working systems.
• Many technologies have been imitating birds, bats, termites, spiders, bees, ants and parts of human body since timeless.
• The successful design of technologies from robotics to material sciences was through imitating nature.
• Nature inspires scientists and engineers and serves as a reliable source of knowledge, ideas and concepts from which technologies can be developed.
• Buildings were made through the imitation of the mound architecture of termites that have chimneys, constant temperature and humidity. Examples of technology that imitates nature:
• Swallow nests have inspired the house building design.
• Weaving technologies have been developed by studying the formation of spider webs.
• Buildings have been made through the imitation of the mound architecture of termites.
• These Buildings mimic termite mound architecture that has chimneys with constant temperature and humidity. An example is The East gate Center in Harare
• The first heavy aircraft technology was designed by imitating birds.
•  Aircraft engineers designed aircraft wings and their flight techniques by imitating the wings of birds and bats
• Engineers imitating human eyes made the technology of photograph camera.
• The movement of bio-robots was designed from the movement of kangaroo.
• Injection needle technology was copied from mosquito proboscis.

• The sensors of electrical devices were imitations of biological neurons.
• A cutting saw was imitated from the nature of the sharp teeth of animals.
• Synthetic bulletproof vests are imitations of the spin silks of spiders.
• Ceramics are an imitation of the nature of crack-resistant shellfish exoskeleton.
• A robotic arm was imitated from an elephant trunk.

Key terms related to the concept of learning from nature, often referred to as biomimicry or nature-inspired design:

1. Biomimicry:

• Biomimicry is the practice of studying nature’s models, systems, processes, and elements to emulate or take inspiration from them in order to solve human problems.
• This approach involves observing how nature has evolved solutions to various challenges over millions of years and applying these insights to human design and innovation. For example, the design of Velcro was inspired by the way burrs stick to animal fur. Biomimicry encourages sustainable practices by promoting designs that work in harmony with natural ecosystems rather than against them.

2. Ecological Design:

• Ecological design refers to the practice of creating products, buildings, and systems that are environmentally sustainable and consider the ecological impact of their lifecycle.
• This term emphasizes integrating ecological principles into the design process, ensuring that human activities do not degrade natural ecosystems. It involves utilizing renewable resources, minimizing waste, and maintaining biodiversity. An example of ecological design is the use of green roofs, which mimic natural habitats while providing insulation and reducing urban heat.

3. Nature’s Patterns (Biomimetic Patterns):

• Nature’s patterns refer to recurring themes or structures found in nature that can be observed and applied in various fields, including architecture, engineering, and art.
• These patterns often arise from evolutionary processes and can include fractals, spirals, and tessellations. For instance, the structure of a honeycomb is an example of a geometric pattern that maximizes space efficiency and strength while using minimal material. By studying these patterns, designers can create more efficient and effective solutions that align with natural principles, such as energy efficiency or resource optimization.

These terms encapsulate the philosophy of learning from nature to innovate sustainably and effectively, highlighting the potential for nature to inspire solutions to modern challenges.