The Best Biomimicry Examples in Biology

This article will showcase some of the best examples of biomimicry in the field of biology. In fact, we’re here to show you that biology is closely related to biomimicry, and that biology professionals have the distinct advantage of deep knowledge of certain organisms, systems or processes that can be helpful in biomimicry and solving human challenges by looking to nature for solutions.

If you're interested in understanding more about the basics of what exactly biomimicry is, this article might be helpful: What (really) is biomimicry?

Let's dive in! 

1. Artificial Reefs Inspired by Natural Reefs

"The simplest solution is the best one" - in this case, it's making more of what nature already makes. 

Grow Oyster Reefs has created structures made of life-friendly concrete, specifically to attract oysters and foster growth for this animal. Their products mimic natural coral reefs to create habitats, reduce ocean pollution, protect coastlines and perform several other functions, just like natural reefs do. They also serve as a catalyst for oysters to grow beyond the footprint of the artificial material.  

🪲 Inspired by: Natural coral reefs
📍 Where: USA 
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Artificial reefs
✏️ Who: Grow Oyster Reefs 

PS - Another company, ECOncrete, also produces concrete used for artificial reef structures as well as marine and harbour infrastructure that mimic reefs to sequester carbon, guard the shoreline and host marine life. 

2. Land Regeneration Inspired by Fungi 

“That toxic waste looks mighty delicious” - A fungus maybe. We, humans, have created more harmful waste than we are ready to admit and a lot of it is sinking into our land, destroying the soil quality and toxifying the land. Researchers at Novobiom have turned the field of bioremediation on its head by locating fungi already in stages of reducing synthetic materials into harmless substituents and selectively breeding them to treat heavily polluted waste. All this can be done locally without hauling the soil to any other location for treatment. 

🪲 Inspired by: Fungi
📍 Where: Belgium
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Bioremediation
✏️ Who: Novobiom

3. Vaccine Storage Inspired by Anhydrous Substances

As we learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic, quick, effective and wasteless delivery of vaccines is extremely crucial for saving millions of lives worldwide. However, vaccines need to be transported in frozen conditions which are not always met. Nova Labs has patented a method inspired by anhydrous organisms - meaning substances containing no water - where the vaccines are first dehydrated using sugar syrup, which prevents bacteria from incubating and growing in the vials. Once injected, the body fluids reactivate the vaccine and it can start its normal delivery process within the body. 

🪲 Inspired by: Anhydrous organisms
📍 Where: UK
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Long term vaccine storage
✏️ Who: Nova Labs

4. Repellant Surfaces Inspired by the Pitcher Plant

Paint and other viscous liquids often leave a huge residue on their containers, leading to material loss, wastage and downtime. Researchers at Adaptive Surface Technologies have created a surface coating that solves this problem and they have nature’s pitcher plant to thank for it. Studying this carnivorous plant and its unique technique to catch insects in its pouch, they have discovered a way to put a liquid barrier between the substance and the container which makes the substance fall right off without leaving any residue behind.

🪲 Inspired by: Pitcher plant
📍 Where: USA
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Repellent liquid coating
✏️ Who: Adaptive Surface Technologies

5. Elephant Repellent Inspired by Bees

Elephants are often the culprits of destroying crops or posing a safety risk to communities in areas where humans live near wildlife habitats. However, ISCA Technologies have discovered that honeybees secrete “alarm bell” pheromones when they perceive a threat, signalling the others to attack. As it turns out, these pheromones effectively scare off elephants (these mammals don’t like to be stung by bees any more than the rest of us do!). This tactic allows humans to ward off elephants in certain areas without having to resort to toxic substances or violent measures. Read more about the research in this Current Biology paper.

🪲 Inspired by: Bees
📍 Where: USA + South Africa
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Elephant repellent substance
✏️ Who: ISCA Technologies

6. Inflammation-Reducing Materials Inspired by Viruses 

We all know how discouraging it can be to fall ill. Viruses and bacteria can attack our bodies by avoiding detection from our immune systems (which is supposed to fight them off for us). So, what if we could use their strategies for good? A common challenge in people getting medical devices implanted, is that their immune systems recognize these objects as foreign, and try to “fight them off”, causing inflammation and even leading to rejection of the implant. But now, researchers are developing materials that can “hide” from the immune system, as well as reduce the signals for inflammation, inspired by the way viruses work. For more on this research, read this paper by the National Library of Medicine.

🪲 Inspired by: Viruses and bacteria
📍 Where: USA
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Inflammation-reducing biomaterials
✏️ Who: William M. Reichert and team 

7. Muscle Atrophy Prevention Inspired by Hibernating Squirrels 

Squirrel image: Tiller-bug via iNaturalist

In hibernating 13-lined ground squirrels, researchers found that even without satellite cells (the cells that help muscles grow and repair), their muscles do not shrink during the long periods of immobility and lack of nutrition. However, if a muscle gets injured while the animal is hibernating, it takes very long to start healing because certain biological signals keep the satellite cells inactive. What surprised researchers, though, is that even though the injury causes inflammation and healing is slow, the muscles don’t develop scar tissue (fibrosis). Once the squirrels wake up from hibernation, their muscles can fully recover, offering potentially new ways to prevent muscle atrophy and avoiding fibrosis in humans. Research is still in progress, you can read more in this paper by the National Library of Medicine.

🪲 Inspired by: 13-lined ground squirrels
📍 Where: USA
🎯 Biomimicry in biology example: Muscle atrophy & fibrosis prevention
✏️ Who: Eva Andres-Mateos and team 

In Closing 

When biology meets biomimicry, great strides can be made to solve various challenges in different spheres, from the environment to human healthcare. Similarly, from marine biology to ecology to microbiology, all fields can benefit from an approach that looks to life in all its forms and finds solutions in nature. 

Wild regards

The Learn Biomimicry team 

PS - If you're interested in learning more, you can download this free eBook: A Biologist's Guide to Biomimicry here. 

You can also explore our Biomimicry Short Courses, where you'll get practical knowledge of how to apply biomimicry to your own design, get a Learn Biomimicry certificate which is recognised globally (and endorsed by the Biomimicry Institute), and so much more.