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Technology Developed By Man Aping 

Nature 

Biomimetic or Biomimety is a new science brand that deals with imitating nature for technological enhancements. Did you know that Eiffel Tower is an imitation of human thigh bone? Are scientist and engineers really so creative or they are just imitating what is already in nature? 

 Every day we are meeting a new technological product which is better than all the previous similar versions. Scientists, mathematicians and engineers are working hard during the invention stages. In those projects, the main motive is to make somethingwhich does not exist before. Sorry for inventors but if we look at nature we can simply

 see advanced versions already available in nature and they are mostly alive!

 Recently, we started to hear a new science branch named as ‘Biomimetic’ or ‘Biomimicry’. In short, it investigates and inspects the nature in order to simplifytechnological enhancements and obtain new ideas for future’s science and technology. Actually to be honest: Science is the study of the universe. Most of the big

 scientists are famous of their experiments and equations found during theseexperiments. However, mostly they realize that there is an order to be found, outsidetheir laboratories. For example, Archimedes found water lifting force in a bathhousewith the help of a not sinking dipper and Newton found gravity force with the helpof an apple which dropped to his head. It was not the first apple dropped from a tree

 but it was Newton to realize gravitation system. As we can see, biomimetic itself isnot so new.

 After this brief introduction there are some interesting examples mentioned below.They are also special because they are milestones in technological improvement history of humanity.

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 Eiffel Tower (Thigh Bone):

Eiffel Tower is one of best civil engineering structures in the world. It has a very special system known as truss system but it is not unique at all. Following the anatomist Hermann von Meyer, Swiss engineer Karl Cullman was inspired by the outcome: The bone was made up of tiny interconnected struts, like a cage. These struts reduced the effect of any weight or pressure placed on the bone. That is because they are arranged along the force influence lines generated when standing or walking.Thigh bone can bear upto one-ton weight. Cullman thought that this  formation could be used in structures. This lucky structure was theEiffel Tower constructed with truss system (cage-like struts), just as in 

the thigh bone.

Suspension Bridges (Tendons):

Different from traditional bridges that have heavy footings, it is more economicalto build cable suspension bridges. Furthermore, it is also much more economicaland durable with cables that have a twisted bundle form. Each individual cable isitself a twisted bundle of thinner cables. Each of these thinner cables is itself atwisted bundle of molecules, which are, of course, twisted, helical bundles ofatoms. It sounds twisty but works perfect at all.

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Kevlar (Spider Silk):

Most of the people knows that spider silk is the one of the most strongestmaterials. Although it has a diameter less than 1 millimeter, it is 5 times strongerthan steel wire of the same dimensions. Moreover it is so ductile that it canelongate 4 times of its original length. Besides, it is so light that a thread stretchingthree times around the world would weigh less than 1 kilogram. These propertiesmake spider silk very special for industry. One company called DuPont alsorealized this fact and studied on spider silks and came up with ‘Kevlar’; world`sknown strongest industrial material. A bullet flying with a speed of 150 km/h couldnot pass though a fabric made of kevlar which is very good for a bullet-proof vest.In addition to this, kevlar is used for aircraft carrier hawsers, mine shoes and

where strength is the in primary requirements.

Underwater Exploration Robot: Aeriol (Crab)

We are not so keen on working in dangerous conditions. Therefore, we look forsomeone to do it for us. Thanks to the biomimetic, our robot friends started toapply for this kind of job opportunities. Aeriol is one of the bravest at all. He isworking underwater for unknown zone explorations. It was designed by imitatingcrab because researches show that crab’s body formation is very suitable forunderwater walking.

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Production in textile machines:

Spiders produce silks with different characteristics for different purposes.Diatematus, for instance, can use its silk glands to produce seven different typesof silk—similar to production techniques employed in modern textile machines.Yet those machines’ enormous size can’t be compared with the spider’s few cubicmillimeters silk-producing organ. Another superior feature of its silk is the waythat the spider can recycle it, able to produce new thread by consuming itsdamaged web.

Bullet Train (Kingfisher):

The nose cone of Japan's 500 Series Shinkansen bullet train is modeled after akingfisher's beak.

A bullet train with a distinctly bird-like nose; massive wind turbines whose formwas inspired by the shape of whales' fins; ultra-strong, biodegradeable gluesdeveloped by analyzing how mussels cling to rocks under water. The creators ofeach product used nature as their guide.

The Hardness of Wood Is Hidden in Its Design:

In contrast to the substances in other living things, vegetable composites consist

more of cellulose fibers than collagen. Wood’s hard, resistant structure derivesfrom producing this cellulose—a hard material that is not soluble in water. This

property of cellulose makes wood so versatile in construction. Thanks to cellulose,

timber structures keep standing for hundreds of years. Described as tension-

bearing and matchless, cellulose is used much more extensively than other

building materials in buildings, bridges, furniture and any number of items.

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Because wood absorbs the energy from low-

velocity impacts, it’s highly effective at restrictingdamage to one specific location. In particular,

damage is reduced the most when the impact

occurs at right angles to the direction of the grain.Diagnostic research has shown that different types

of wood exhibit different levels of resistance. One of

the factors is density, since denser woods absorb

more energy during impact. The number of vessels in the wood, their size and

distribution, are also important factors in reducing impact deformation. 29

The Second World War's Mosquito aircraft, which so far have shown the greatest

tolerance to damage, were made by gluing dense plywood layers between lighter

strips of balsa wood. The hardness of wood makes it a most reliable material.

When it does break, the cracking takes place so slowly that one can watch ithappen with the naked eye, thus giving time to take precautions.

Above left: Wood consists of tube-like fibers which give wood its

resistant properties.

Above right:Wood’s raw material, known as cellulose, possesses a

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complicated chemical structure. If the chemical bonds or atoms

comprising cellulose were different, then wood wouldn’t be so strong

and flexible.

Left: A structure

modeled on wood for

the making of bullet-

proof clothing. If wood

had a different

structure, it could not

possess such resilient

hardness.

1. Carefully placed fibers to imitate the spiral winding of thetube walls in wood.

2. Resin reinforced with glass fibers.

3. Corrugated layer between flat plates.

4. Layers arranged to imitate the tube structure of wood.

Wood consists of parallel columns of long, hollow cells placed end to end, and

surrounded by spirals of cellulose fibers. Moreover, these cells are enclosed in a

complex polymer structure made of resin. Wound in a spiral, these layers form

80% of the total thickness of the cell wall and, together, bear the main weight. Whena wood cell collapses in on itself, it absorbs the energy of impact by breaking

away from the surrounding cells. Even if the crack runs between the fibers, still the

wood is not deformed. Broken wood is nevertheless strong enough to support a

significant load.

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 Material made by imitating wood’s design is 50 times more durable than other 

 synthetic materials in use today. Wood is currently imitated in materials being

developed for protection against high-velocity particles, such as shrapnel from bombsor bullets.

It is possible to extend examples for imitated technological products that are very useful and successful. As previously mentioned the main difference between the Newton and his fellows was his manner of investigation and realizing the order of the nature. However, in order to realize we should see it, not only look at the picture of the view.