Lotus Leaves Inspire Self Cleaning Superhydrophobic Surfaces

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In some Asian cultures, the lotus plant is considered a symbol of purity. The large fan-like leaves of the lotus plant stay dry and pristine despite the muddy ponds and lakes the plant calls home. How does his work and what does it mean to us?

Sharklet: The Antimicrobial Properties of Sharkskin

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Last post we learned that the unique pattern of sharkskin allows the animals to reduce drag and move more efficiently through  the water. But that's not the only advantage to the small scales covering sharks. It turns out that the fish's scales also prevent microorganisms from attaching and growing. 

Sharkskin: Small Ridges Create Huge Efficiency

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For decades, engineers have been concerned with movement efficiency based on the shape and smoothness of an object. The conventional rule was the smoother an object was, the more efficiently it would move through a fluid. Within the past 10-15 years or so, that has been starting to change. Sharkskin holds the secret to creating greater hydrodynamic and efficient machines.

Mussel Glue Could Save Lives

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A new type of glue, one that mimics the ability of the mussel  to hold itself to just about anything under turbulent water, is being developed in multiple universities and labs around the world. One of its major applications could be a bio compatible glue that could help hold tissue together after injury or surgery.

Mantis Shrimp: Weapon to Armor

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Last post, we covered the incredibly tough and highly impact resistant mother of pearl which keeps most mollusks safe from predators. But the mantis shrimp can break through these extremely hard structures with the speed of a .22 caliber bullet.

Artificial Mother of Pearl: Stronger Lighter Armor

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One of nature's strongest materials is nacure, colloquially known as "Mother of pearl." This is the surface coating of pearls and the iridescent coating that lines the inside of many mollusks such as oysters, abalone, and mussels. Nacure is composed of 95% aragonite, a hard but brittle calcium carbonate mineral, with the remaining 5% made up of soft organic molecules. While on their own, each material has poor mechanical properties, when layered together by the mollusks, the nacure can be (in energy terms) up to 3,000 times more resistant to fracture.

Gecko Feet

This post is for those who don't know much about biomimcry or the inventions it has lead to. One of the most popular and modern examples of biomimetics are artificial adhesives inspired by gecko feet.

We all know that geckos can cling to walls and scurry across ceilings with ease, but did you ever wonder how they did this? The secret to the geckos amazing sticking abilities lie in the billions of hair-like structures that adorn their toes.