Ahh, at last the smell of sea!
Spent some lovely days last week beachcombing. Lots of shells, most of them tiny, glittering in the sand on the tidal shore. Also, lots of seaweed that looked like bubble wrap with its distinctive air bubbles. The air sacs are known as air bladders, which give the algae its name – bladderwrack.
Bladder wrack has round air bladders/bubbles.
Why does the seaweed have these air bubbles?
It is always an eye-opener to spend time quietly, observing nature. Shared discoveries on the beach give the greatest pleasure. An important part of developing curiosity and a love for nature. A curious child feels safe to explore questions. A secure child will be excited by the wonders of nature. And she or he will explore and ask hundreds of questions.
Making a drawing of treasures found at the beach can help a child develop a deeper understanding. Drawing makes you look closely and discover things that you might have missed before.
Seaweed like bladder wrack provides shelter for many different creatures, and it is also a source of food. The air bubbles help the algae exchange gases and absorb nutrients when submerged.
While sketching a drawing, wonderful ideas of how we could use air bubbles might emerge. Like a floating device.
Today, there is an enormous need to develop sustainable solutions. Initial ideas can be explored to ensure that they use sustainable resources in the production and that they are transported in a sustainable way. Innovations and solutions to problems should help us create a better future for all living creatures on Earth.
An idea that emerged, inspired by our beachcombing, was floating roundish solar panels that collect energy in the water, maybe even wave energy. The energy is sent to our homes via tiny strings. Live seaweed materials are used to construct these special solar and wave panels.
Love to hear about your ideas. . .
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.
2 thoughts on “Beachcombing – Bladderwrack!”