Do porcupine quills hold the secret to lighter, stronger materials?
Porcupines are born with thousands of sharp, needle-like quills. A group of engineers have discovered that with 3D printing, these ...
Tag: biomimicry
How deep-sea sponges could inspire future skyscrapers
The skeletal structure of deep-sea sponges could shape how we construct buildings and infrastructure, according to new research.
This burrowing robot mimics nature to snake underground
Engineers have developed a soft robot that can burrow through sand and other difficult terrain.
Three award-winning buildings that use biomimicry
Nature has played a role in engineering since its inception, so it’s no surprise that it’s also inspiring the buildings ...
How the pandanus tree provided inspiration for this Queensland stadium
When it came time to deliver a new stadium to the city of Townsville, the winning design drew on the ...
Engineers create dragonfly robot to check for water anomalies
Engineers in the US have developed an electronics-free robotic dragonfly that can detect impurities in water.
This tiny drone uses a live moth antenna to sniff out odours
Meet the Smellicopter: a drone with a real moth antenna that blurs the line between nature and technology.
This parasite-inspired device could change drug delivery
Inspired by a parasitic worm that bites its host’s intestines, engineers have developed technology that could revolutionise slow release medicine ...
Meet some of the animal kingdom’s finest engineers
Engineers often take inspiration from nature for their creations. But we sometimes overlook the incredible engineering and architectural skills of ...
By flapping its ‘wings’, this drone soars above the rest
Drawing inspiration from the natural world, a group of engineers has created a drone with flapping wings that can do ...
