As early as the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci developed aircraft through the study of birds. Nature's solutions tend to be more economical, effective, and durable than technologies developed by humans. In the process of designing new products, engineers often need to take inspiration from nature's designs.
<h1>Bendable self-healing concrete</h1>
When a person's skin is cut, unless the injury is severe, it usually heals on its own, as the body's microvasculature system quickly delivers substances to the skin to help repair the wound. The concrete developed by American engineers has skin-like properties that can be "healed" after a break. They use special microfibers to reinforce the cement. This fiber bends the concrete, and even if it breaks, the width of the crack is as small as the diameter of the hair. After breaking, the concrete absorbs moisture from the surrounding air, then softens and "grows" to fill the cracks. Self-healing concrete costs three times as conventional concrete, but the lower maintenance costs are enough to offset the higher costs.
<h1>Japan Shinkansen</h1>
Japan's Shinkansen can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour, but the huge noise it produces often exceeds environmental standards. Even sonic booms are generated when trains pass through narrow tunnels. Part of the problem is the shape of the nose of the train. To solve this problem, the engineers took inspiration from Kingfisher. Kingfishers do not increase in diameter from one end to the other. They wedge into the water like wedges and move rapidly in the current. So engineers have developed more high-performance warheads. In 1997, high-speed trains increased electricity consumption by 15% and noise by 10%.
<h1>In control bacteria materials</h1>
Unlike the skin of whales and manatees, sharks do not attach algae or barnacles to them. This feature appears to be related to a small type of scale called "skin teeth". A company in the United States imitated the pattern and structure of shark skin and developed an antibacterial material "shark skin", which can be pasted on medical devices such as urinary catheters to inhibit bacterial growth.
<h1>Mercedes-Benz Bionic Concept</h1>
Trees and bones are very strong and lightweight. To distribute the pressure evenly, trees increase wood density where the pressure is greatest, as do bones. Engineers integrate this functionality into structural design to achieve the optimal balance between material weight and performance. The Mercedes-Benz Bionic Concept is lightweight and powerful, and similar designs will be applied to other production models.
<h1>Automatic water supply system</h1>
Spiny lizards are known as "spiny devils" and they use grooves in their skin to collect moisture. When the temperature drops at night, dew on the skin flows into the mouth through capillary action. Automated water systems based on this mechanism can collect and distribute naturally distilled water, helping millions of people gain access to clean fresh water.
<h1>High-performance surfboards</h1>
The ripples on the leading edge of the humpback whale fin help humpback whales navigate the water gracefully and quickly. These ripples are called "small nodules", and the ripples of these "small nodules" reduce resistance, allowing giant humpback whales to swim freely in the water and even make difficult movements. Based on this principle, surfboard manufacturers installed a "fin" on the surfboard that mimics the humpback fin.
<h1>All natural air conditioning</h1>
No matter how wet, dry, scorching or cold it is outside, the temperature inside the termite nest will remain almost constant. To do this, termites repeatedly open and close a series of heating and cooling vents throughout the day. In the design of a shopping mall and office building in Africa, the architect studied the structure of White Ant Mountain, so that the building consumes only 10% of the energy of similar buildings.
<h1>Painless injection of needles</h1>
The skin that has been bitten by a mosquito is red and itchy, but when its puncture sucking mouth penetrates the skin, people hardly feel the pain. Mosquitoes The straw of this insect is jagged, which can reduce the range of contact with the human subcutaneous nerve. Conversely, those smooth subcutaneous needles can cause pain and discomfort. Inspired by mosquitoes, Japanese engineers developed miniature painless needles with jagged edges.