Allison Alberts on biomimicry - sustainable solutions inspired by nature | Human World Biomimicry is design inspired by nature. With 7 billion humans on Earth today – and demand for natural resources growing, while supplies remain fixed – people are looking for innovative ideas to help companies, consumers, and the environment. Scientists are realizing that many ideas for a more sustainable world can come from nature itself. The San Diego Zoo is an international center for biomimicry research. EarthSky spoke to Allison Alberts, Chief Conservation and Research Officer for the San Diego Zoo, which has set up a special biomimicry website for the public. Alberts explained: Biomimicry studies nature’s best ideas, and applies them to solving human problems. Lotus leaves inspired a new self-cleaning paint. She gave a simple example, involving the common lotus leaf. The microscopic structure of a lotus leaf allows water droplets to bead up and roll off, washing away even the smallest specks of dirt. Dr. And that is biomimicry. Termite mounds are self-cooling. Dr. Dr.
7 Alternative Fuels and Fuel-Powered Vehicles With $4.00/gallon gas prices a not-so-distant memory, alternative fuels are all the rage. But what about the vehicles that run on them? Between hydrogen fuel cells, bio diesel, electricity and compressed air, the industrialized world is hard at work creating the next generation of non-oil consuming vehicles. These new, eco-friendly chariots deserve at least as much attention and fanfare as the fuels that power them, especially these 7 models. Compressed air (Image via DanceWithShadows) Perhaps the most tantalizing of all the alternative fuels is compressed air. Vegetable oil (Image via Biodiesel.org) Environmentalists everywhere have been salivating at the idea of running a car on vegetable oil ever since the idea was first proposed, and we have now taken the leap from concept to reality! Hydrogen fuel cells (Image via ImagesMe) The prospect of hydrogen-powered cars has been enticing eco-friendly motorists for years. Ethanol (Image via InternetAutoGuide) Water (yes, water!) Electrical power
Angela Belcher | TEDxCaltech Angela Belcher is the W. M. Keck Professor of Energy, Materials Science & Engineering, and Biological Engineering at MIT. A materials chemist, her primary research focus is evolving new materials for energy, electronics and the environment. She received her B.S. Thereafter she became assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin, until joining the MIT faculty in 2002. Great Pacific Garbage Patch The area of increased plastic particles is located within the North Pacific Gyre, one of the five major oceanic gyres. The Great Pacific garbage patch, also described as the Pacific trash vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135°W to 155°W and 35°N and 42°N.[1] The patch extends over an indeterminate area, with estimates ranging very widely depending on the degree of plastic concentration used to define the affected area. The patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre.[2] Despite its size and density, the patch is not visible from satellite photography, nor even necessarily to a casual boater or diver in the area, since it consists primarily of a small increase in suspended, often-microscopic particles in the upper water column. Discovery[edit] Charles J. Formation[edit] In 2012, Miriam C.
Biomimicry Institute - Home The Biomimicry 3.8 Institute is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the study and imitation of nature’s remarkably efficient designs, bringing together scientists, engineers, architects and innovators of all ages who can use those models to create sustainable technologies. The Institute was founded in 2006 by science writer and consultant Janine Benyus in response to overwhelming interest in the subject following the publication of her book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. See Janine’s TED Talk video for her groundbreaking introduction to biomimicry. Today, the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute focuses on three areas: Developing our online database of nature’s solutions, AskNature.org.Hosting our annual, international Biomimicry Student Design Challenge.Growing our Global Network of regional biomimicry practitioners. See examples of biomimicry in action! Meet executive director Beth Rattner, our staff, and the Institute board.
10 Very Rare Cloud Pictures Showcasing cool pictures of rare clouds caught on camera. Clouds fill the skies above us and are part of our every day lives but often go unnoticed. However, there are some clouds that are so rare that you will be very lucky to see them in your lifetime. For those of you more interested in clouds, we recommend Cloud Book: How to Understand the Skies 1. These rare clouds, sometimes called mother-of-pearl clouds, are 15 - 25km (9 -16 miles) high in the stratosphere and well above tropospheric clouds. They have iridescent colors but are higher and much rarer than ordinary iridescent clouds. Nacreous clouds shine brightly in high altitude sunlight up to two hours after ground level sunset or before dawn. Their unbelievably bright iridescent colors and slow movement relative to any lower clouds make them an unmistakable and unforgettable sight. 2. Mammatus Clouds are pouch-like cloud structures and a rare example of clouds in sinking air. 3. 4. 5. 6. Average height is around 16,500 ft. 7. 8. 9.
EcoSapiens: Smart Solutions for a Living Planet - EcoSapiens blog Kurzy prvej pomoci - Slovenský Červený kríž Kurz inštruktora prvej pomoci - 24 hodín Slovenský Červený kríž je držiteľom Rozhodnutia Ministerstva zdravotníctva SR o vydaní osvedčenia o akreditácii Kurzu inštruktora prvej pomoci č. 23795-2013-OZdV zo dňa 14. 6. 2013. Zdravotnícki pracovníci (s vyšším odborným alebo vysokoškolským vzdelaním v zdravotníckych štúdiách), ktorí majú záujem stať sa inštruktormi prvej pomoci môžu absolvovať kurz inštruktora aj v Slovenskom Červenom kríži v Bratislave. Učebný plán a osnova 24 hod. kurzu.Cena kurzu je 265 € (7 983,40 Sk).Prihlášku na kurz nájdete fileadmin/user_upload/dokumenty/Kurzy_prvej_pomoci/prihlaska_na_kurz_IPP_2013.doctu Aktuálny termín kurzu je 6.6. - 8. 6. 2014 v Bratislave. V prihláške prosíme uviesť termín kurzu, na ktorý sa prihlasujete. Bližšie informácie vám poskytneme taktiež počas pracovných dní medzi 9:00 a 15:00 hod. na čísle 02/5710 23 02 alebo e-mailom silvia.erdelyiova(at)redcross.sk. Kurz prvej pomoci - 8 hodín Kurz pre autoškoly Európsky certifikát - 16 a 33 hodín
L’économie à l'ère de l'écologie Si les animaux, les plantes, ou les insectes pouvaient parler, qu’auraient-ils à nous dire, de quoi nous entretiendraient-ils ? D’économie et de biomimétisme, bien entendu ! C’est ainsi qu’au cours d’une promenade en forêt au détour d’un chemin, l’auteur – ou plutôt le modeste rapporteur – de ce petit ouvrage fort instructif fait une rencontre inopinée : un Cerambix cerdo. Ce coléoptère, également appelé Grand capricorne, non seulement se trouve doué de parole mais se pique d’économie et entend donner une leçon de (sur)vie aux hommes dont voici quelques éléments de démonstration. © Wildproject Editions Après avoir passé des milliers d’années à vouloir maîtriser la nature, l’asservir même, pour qu’elle réponde à ses besoins, l’homme, croyant bien faire et rêvant à un monde meilleur a “cru devoir éliminer le hasard, ce moteur du vivant”, dit l’insecte. Download as PDF
10 Amazing Scientific Advances That Came From Copying Nature It’s not difficult to deduce that airplanes are based on birds — some of the better pilots in the animal kingdom. After 3.8 billion years and a lot of trial and error, animals have become astoundingly good at a variety of tasks (humans still take the cake in the “watching stuff and getting fat category”). As a result, the field of Biomimicry has ballooned in recent years as scientists and companies are discovering new and interesting ways to steal Nature’s intellectual property. Bullet-Proof Skin Image Source Probably since elementary school you’ve heard stories of the magical properties of spider silk. Chimps, the Oldest Pharmacists Image Source Chimpanzees have evolved to seek out therapeutic cures found naturally in their environment. Unfortunately, this only works for chimpanzees, as something delicious to a house cat (like its own vomit) might be toxic (or just disgusting and pointless) for humans to consume. Termites are Amazing Architects Image Source Solar Cells Based on Leaves
Le biomimétisme ou l'art de l’innovation durable Cette approche a été définie en 1997 par la biologiste américaine Janine M. Benyus dans son ouvrage Biomimicry, sous-titré Innovation Inspired by Nature. Ce livre pionnier, rapidement popularisé aux Etats-Unis, n’a été traduit en France qu’en 2011, sous le titre Biomimétisme, quand la nature inspire des innovations durables. Avant cela, la théorie a fait quelques émules en Europe, au point de donner à naissance en 2006 à Biomimicry Europa. Les conditions du vivant Gauthier Chapelle est l’un des principaux fondateurs de Biomimicry Europa. Pour anticiper cette élimination, les tenants du biomimétisme ne se réfèrent qu’à un seul expert : la nature elle-même, la seule entité terrestre capable de maîtriser sa propre durabilité. Comment se définit le biomimétisme ? En s’inscrivant ainsi dans la durée, le biomimétisme repose sur nouvelle estimation de la valeur nature, ou plus précisément il renoue avec une estimation préindustrielle de la nature. Une vision préindustrielle ?