What prevents a tree from growing in straight lines?
Are there straight lines in nature?
And are there right angles?
The trees have lost most of their leaves, and the structure of the trees is visible. So the other day we hunted for the tree with the straightest trunk and branches.
When we look at nature, it is easy to see only spiral patterns and to assume that only humans move in straight lines. But if you put on your thinking goggles and search for straight lines, you will be amazed.
There ARE Straight Lines in Nature! And there are right angles!
Looking for straight lines might also lead to the question of why not certain things in nature go in straight lines. What if a tree was growing in a place where the wind did not blow? And it never rained or snowed? A place where there was a constant and even distribution of air and nutrients. Would this tree be straight?
Photo Sam Cox
What if a tree grows in a cave like crystals?
Crystals that grow underground may grow in straight lines.
The less varied the environment is, the more likely it is that nature will produce straight lines and flat surfaces.
What straight lines can you find in your neighbourhood?
This is a real biomimicry principle in action: engineers often deliberately avoid straight lines and sharp right angles, because curves distribute force and pressure far more evenly — the same reason a beaver dam curves rather than running straight, a shape we explored in our Marshmallow Challenge design activities.
Here are a few more examples. . .
Photo By Taken byfir0002
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.