Deep-sea creatures prove that even the “scary and creepy” animals are just as fascinating and full of learning opportunities as the cute and fluffy ones! Yet, few resources exist for children who want to learn about animals like the Goblin Shark. To be honest, I am not sure I would have been the child eager to learn about weird and scary-looking animals — but I believe it’s important to teach children to care for all living things. Exploring nature from a biomimicry angle means cuteness isn’t the focus; the attention is on what strategies and adaptations an animal or plant has evolved to thrive.
Meet a hunter that doesn’t chase.
The goblin shark lives in near-total darkness, hundreds of metres below the surface, where eyesight is almost useless. So it doesn’t rely on sight at all. Its long, flattened snout is densely packed with electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini — organs so sensitive they can detect the faint electrical field of a heartbeat, even through solid sand. The shark simply hovers, motionless, waiting for that signal.
Then, the moment prey is in range, everything changes. The goblin shark’s jaws fire forward like a slingshot — the fastest bite ever recorded in the ocean, reaching speeds of over 3 metres per second and extending almost 9% of the shark’s entire body length in roughly a third of a second. The prey never sees it coming, because the shark never needed to move fast to begin with. It only needed to strike at exactly the right moment.
That’s not bad for a soft-bodied, pink-skinned animal that can barely swim.
The Biomimicry
The goblin shark’s electroreception could inspire advancements in low-light sensing technology — systems that detect what’s nearby without relying on light or vision at all. And its patient, precise hunting strategy — waiting, sensing, then striking decisively — could inspire more effective classroom techniques, encouraging students to actively seek out and precisely target new learning opportunities rather than rushing in.
You may also like a blog post about Anglerfish.
Wonder Prompt: The goblin shark doesn’t chase its food — it waits, senses, and strikes at exactly the right moment. What “electric fields” do you notice in your own life — small signals that tell you the right moment to act? A quiet room before a test? A friend’s face right before they need help?
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.