Biomimetics: When Nature Becomes the Teacher of Engineers

Imagine a world where architects design buildings inspired by termite mounds, surgeons use adhesives modeled after gecko feet, and engineers create robots that mimic the movements of cockroaches.

This is not science fiction — it’s the reality of modern science known as biomimicry.

What is Biomimicry?

Biomimicry (from the Greek bios — life, and mimesis — imitation) is an interdisciplinary field of science and engineering that studies and emulates natural processes, structures, and strategies to solve complex human problems. The term was popularized by biologist Janine Benyus in her landmark book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (1997), though the idea of borrowing from nature goes back much further.

The roots of biomimicry stretch deep into antiquity. As early as the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci observed birds in flight to sketch designs for flying machines. However, biomimicry only began to emerge as a systematic scientific discipline in the mid-20th century. In the 1960s, Jack Steele, a researcher at the U.S. Air Force, introduced the term “bionics” to describe the emulation of biological methods. Since then, the field has rapidly evolved, drawing together biologists, engineers, architects, medical professionals, and many others.

The Three Levels of Biomimicry

According to Janine Benyus, biomimicry operates on three levels, each offering unique lessons from nature:

1. Mimicking Form and Structure
2. This involves borrowing shapes and designs from the natural world. For example, the streamlined nose of Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train, inspired by the beak of a kingfisher, reduces air resistance and energy consumption.
3. Mimicking Processes
4. Beyond shapes, this level emulates how systems work. Photosynthesis, for instance, has inspired the development of more efficient solar panels.
5. Mimicking Ecosystems
6. The most complex level seeks to recreate nature’s closed-loop systems where nothing is wasted. Here, the waste of one process becomes the resource of another — as in forest ecosystems.

Biomimicry in Medicine: From Geckos to Octopuses

Medicine is one of the fields where biomimicry shines most brightly. Scientists at MIT and Harvard Medical School developed a surgical adhesive inspired by how geckos cling to surfaces. This biodegradable material mimics the microstructure of gecko feet, using nanostructures coated with a thin glue layer. The result: a strong yet bioresorbable adhesive ideal for tissue and organ repair.

Another remarkable innovation comes from Professor Hyunjoon Kong at the University of Illinois. Drawing inspiration from octopus suckers, his team created a device that can lift and transfer ultra-thin tissue grafts without damage. It uses a thermoresponsive hydrogel that contracts when heated and expands when cooled, gripping the tissue gently — just like an octopus’s tentacle.

Parasitic wasps inspired the creation of an innovative medical needle. Female parasitic wasps use a needle-like ovipositor to lay eggs inside live caterpillars. Researchers at Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University studied this mechanism to develop a needle composed of seven interlocking, individually actuated rods. This design enables the needle to bend and navigate through delicate tissues with minimal force — ideal for drug delivery in hard-to-reach areas.

Biomimicry in Architecture: Buildings That Breathe

Architecture has also embraced biomimicry. A celebrated example is the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, designed by architect Mick Pearce. Its passive cooling system was inspired by termite mounds, which maintain constant internal temperatures. Air enters the building through underground ducts, is cooled naturally, and circulates to create a pleasant indoor climate — all without air conditioning. This system uses just 10% of the energy that conventional HVAC would require.

London’s iconic Gherkin skyscraper offers another example. Its double-glass façade mimics the lattice structure of the Venus flower basket, a deep-sea sponge found near the Philippines and Japan. The sponge’s silica skeleton provides incredible strength and lightness. Likewise, the Gherkin’s twin glass layers create an insulating air pocket, while the patterned outer layer reflects sunlight and allows natural light to filter through.

In Singapore, the Gardens by the Bay showcase biomimicry in urban design. The towering Supertrees — vertical gardens between 25 and 50 meters tall — replicate natural tree functions: they provide shade, collect rainwater, and improve air quality. Solar panels on their “canopies” generate electricity, mirroring how real trees harness sunlight through photosynthesis.

Biomimicry in Engineering: From Spider Silk to Frequency Hopping

Engineering is another field transformed by biomimetic innovation. Spider silk — a biological material spun by specialized glands — has been dubbed the “Holy Grail” of biomaterials. It’s lightweight, flexible, and up to three times stronger than steel by weight. Radial strands of a spider web can withstand tensile forces of 1154 MPa, compared to 400 MPa for steel.

Harvesting spider silk on an industrial scale proved difficult — until Nexia Biotechnologies found a solution. Using somatic cell nuclear transfer (the same technique used to clone mammals), scientists inserted silk-producing genes from spiders into the DNA of goats. These transgenic goats produce spider silk proteins in their milk, which are then extracted and spun into a web-like material called Biosteel.

Another surprising example of biomimicry comes from the 1940s: frequency hopping technology. Developed by actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil, this method was inspired by the roll mechanisms of player pianos. It enabled secure, jam-resistant torpedo guidance by rapidly changing signal frequencies according to a pre-set algorithm. Today, this principle underpins technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

Biomimicry and Sustainable Development

Biomimicry is a powerful tool for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A recent Scientific Reports study identified two major clusters connecting biomimicry to sustainability:

• Cluster One focuses on healthcare, partnerships, and life on land (SDGs 3, 17, and 15). It emphasizes biomimicry’s role in medical innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and responsible land use.
• Cluster Two addresses clean water, energy, infrastructure, and marine life (SDGs 6, 7, 9, and 14). It highlights nature-inspired solutions for clean energy generation, water purification, and sustainable infrastructure. The prominence of SDG 7 (clean energy) underscores biomimicry’s contribution to low-impact energy systems.

The Future of Biomimicry

The future of biomimicry depends on overcoming barriers to integration, fostering innovation, and adapting nature’s time-tested strategies. Promising research areas include metaheuristics, nanogenerators, exosomes, and bioprinting — pointing to a vibrant field poised for major breakthroughs.

Commercializing biomimicry is essential to maximizing its impact. This requires addressing challenges such as skill gaps, engineering mindsets, business acumen, and funding limitations. The State of Nature-Inspired Innovation in the UK report offers in-depth analysis and strategies to align research with commercial viability, highlighting the need for entrepreneurial perspectives in biomimicry.

Conclusion

Biomimicry is more than a scientific discipline — it’s a mindset shift. It encourages us to view nature not as a resource to exploit, but as a mentor and guide, offering elegant, sustainable, and efficient solutions.

Over billions of years, evolution has refined life to thrive in complex, ever-changing environments. These solutions are a goldmine of ideas for engineers, architects, doctors, and innovators. By studying and emulating natural systems, we can develop technologies that not only meet human needs but also coexist in harmony with the Earth.

In a world increasingly burdened by environmental crises, biomimicry offers a roadmap toward a more sustainable future. It reminds us that nature — the greatest engineer of all — has already solved many of the challenges we face. We just need to observe, learn, and apply its wisdom.

Sources:

• Benyus, J. M. (1997). Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. William Morrow & Company.
• Raman, R. et al. (2024). Mapping biomimicry research to SDGs. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 18613.
• Kennedy, S. (2004). Biomimicry: General Principles and Practical Examples. The Science Creative Quarterly.
• Kelly, C. (2021). 9 Bioinspired Medical Technologies. ASME.
• The Overview. (2025). Biomimicry in Architecture.
• Learn Biomimicry. (2025). 50 of the World’s Best Biomimicry Examples.
• Mibelle Biochemistry. (2021). Biomimicry: A Concept for Sustainable Innovation.