Foxes are fantastic.
They can leap up into the air and dive into a pile of snow to catch a mouse.
Inspired by foxes, we made a Fox Nose Box – the food packing of the future. Just like foxes have great noses, so does this food box. The black nose is filled with trillions of little “foxysmellies” that tell you when the food has gone off and you cannot eat it.
The fox nose box was made out of an old Toblerone box, and a wooden bauble fitted perfectly in the hole.
Biomimicry, biometrics or bioinspiration is a fantastic way to inspire children to observe nature and to use nature for inspiration. This approach requires both great observational skills and creative or lateral thinking.
Food packaging is a perfect area where inspiration from nature can provide the most creative ideas. So much food goes to waste every year, so the Fox Nose Box filled with “foxysmellies” is an idea that inspires children to think dive into the future of what they might find in the cupboard or fridge.
There is, of course, always that little tingling feeling that you are not really thinking hard; instead, there is a touch of magic, which helps to focus the attention. What ideas do you get?
This isn’t just a fun idea — real scientists have built almost exactly this. Researchers have developed “electronic noses” that use sensors to detect the same gases released by spoiling food, mimicking how a real nose works, to warn people before food goes bad. The Fox Nose Box, it turns out, wasn’t so far from science fact.
You’ll find the resource here.
This was one of three posts from our very first blog posts about biomimicry — see also Biomimicry Postal Stamps to Celebrate Nature and CroakMet Messaging Service.
Sources
- Bioengineer.org, Electric Nose Detects When Your Food Has Spoiled (UC Berkeley research)
- MDPI Foods, Applications of Electronic Nose and Electronic Tongue in Food Quality Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.