What you’ll learn: why a Nobel laureate and an architect think our buildings have lost their ambition, what a termite mound already knows about cooling a building without air conditioning, and why the idea of making AI data centres beautiful is really an opportunity to make them biomimetic instead. Buildings as public health The mostContinueContinue reading “Termite Mounds Already Solved the Data Centre Problem”
Tag Archives: Biomimicry
The Secret Air Conditioning Inside Every Old Tree
A hollow in an old tree looks like a hole, but for a squirrel, an owl or a bat, it can be a shelter from heatwaves and cold snaps, and it does this with no wiring, no fuel and no maintenance. New research suggests just how well these hidden chambers work. It might change howContinueContinue reading “The Secret Air Conditioning Inside Every Old Tree”
Beachcombing Bladderwrack, Revisited: What’s Changed on the Shore?
Ahh, the smell of the sea again. Sunday took me back to the same stretch of beach where, six years ago, I first wrote about bladderwrack and its curious air bubbles. Same tide line, same sand, same seaweed washed up in dark, glistening clumps. I found myself crouching over another cluster almost without thinking —ContinueContinue reading “Beachcombing Bladderwrack, Revisited: What’s Changed on the Shore?”
How It All Began: My First Time Blogging About Biomimicry
Every big idea starts small. Mine started in August 2017, with a pastel drawing of a feather, a handful of homemade postage stamps, and a very curious child asking “what if?” I didn’t know it at the time, but that first week of blogging became the seed for everything this site has grown into sinceContinueContinue reading “How It All Began: My First Time Blogging About Biomimicry”
What a River Can Teach You (If You’re Willing to Sit Still)
Stand beside a river for a few minutes and something shifts. This is what rivers can teach children about resilience, generosity, and complexity – three ideas at the heart of biomimicry. What you’ll learn: How rivers solve problems by adapting, not forcing Why complexity (not simplicity) is often the smartest design How a river’s generosityContinueContinue reading “What a River Can Teach You (If You’re Willing to Sit Still)”
What the Wild Edge of a Garden Can Teach Us
Walk to the edge of a forest. Notice how everything changes there — the light shifts, the air cools, and suddenly the world is denser with life. Butterflies hover where meadow grass meets shadow. Beetles burrow where roots meet leaf litter. These boundary zones, what ecologists call edge habitats, are among the most alive placesContinueContinue reading “What the Wild Edge of a Garden Can Teach Us”
Think Like a Butterfly: What Can YOU Design from Spring’s Greatest Transformation?
You’ve discovered the mystery. You’ve met the young scientist. Now it’s your turn to be the inventor. Three ways to explore this: Journal a transformation happening in nature right now Design your own “memory material” Ask your own big question, like Jonah did Spring is the season of transformation. Tadpoles become frogs. Caterpillars become butterflies.ContinueContinue reading “Think Like a Butterfly: What Can YOU Design from Spring’s Greatest Transformation?”
The Boy Who Asked the Question Nobody Thought to Ask
What happens when a curious child decides to take nature’s mysteries seriously? Something remarkable. This is the true story of an 8-year-old who used a real biomimicry-style scientific method — patient observation, testable questions, and respectful experimentation — to make a genuine discovery about butterfly memory. What you’ll learn: How a child’s simple observation ledContinueContinue reading “The Boy Who Asked the Question Nobody Thought to Ask”
The Butterfly’s Secret Superpower: A Memory That Survives the Impossible
Spring is here! And with it comes one of nature’s most astonishing transformations. But what if we told you the most mind-blowing part isn’t the wings? Have you ever watched a caterpillar crawl slowly along a leaf and thought: how on earth does that become a butterfly? It’s one of spring’s most magical mysteries. AndContinueContinue reading “The Butterfly’s Secret Superpower: A Memory That Survives the Impossible”
Nature’s Early Warning System: What Animal Vision Can Teach Us About Saving the Planet
Close your eyes for a moment. Now open them. What you just did — that effortless flood of light, colour, and motion — is the result of hundreds of millions of years of ruthless biological engineering. But here’s the thing: your way of seeing is just one solution to the problem. Nature has found thousandsContinueContinue reading “Nature’s Early Warning System: What Animal Vision Can Teach Us About Saving the Planet”
The Octopus’s Playground: Why Intelligence Blooms Through Curiosity
A young octopus in a research tank discovers a plastic bottle. For the next hour, it pushes the bottle around, fills it with water, empties it, threads its arms through the opening, and even appears to “juggle” it between tentacles. There’s no survival benefit to this behaviour – no food reward, no predator to escape.ContinueContinue reading “The Octopus’s Playground: Why Intelligence Blooms Through Curiosity”
What AI Can’t Reach and What Nature Reveals
What AI Can’t Reach and What Nature Reveals A child stands in a forest, headphones off, trying to identify a bird by its call alone. No app. No image search. No instant answer. Just the sound, and the uncertainty of not quite knowing yet. This is a strange thing to protect on purpose. But itContinueContinue reading “What AI Can’t Reach and What Nature Reveals”
Nature’s Recycling Heroes: How Old Things Become New Again
“Why nothing in nature really gets ‘thrown away’ — and what that teaches us about clothes and waste” Have you ever watched leaves fall in autumn and then disappear into the soil by spring? Or seen mushrooms growing on an old tree stump? That’s nature’s secret recycling team at work! The Great Circle of StuffContinueContinue reading “Nature’s Recycling Heroes: How Old Things Become New Again”
Biomimicry Marshmallow Challenges: When Nature Meets STEM Learning
A five-year-old squints at a wobbling tower. It leans. It trembles. It collapses. She laughs, reaches for another marshmallow, and begins again. Somewhere between that small, sticky failure and the next attempt, learning takes root. Nature has been solving engineering problems for 3.8 billion years. In classrooms filled with marshmallows and toothpicks, children are rediscoveringContinueContinue reading “Biomimicry Marshmallow Challenges: When Nature Meets STEM Learning”
How Aquatic Plant Roots, Pollen, and Swarm Intelligence Are Shaping Tomorrow’s Technology
From Earth to Mars, from cell surfaces to AI brains — nature’s ancient patterns are guiding cutting-edge innovation. Nature’s Patterns Are Solving Tomorrow’s Problems Today Nature speaks in patterns — spirals in sunflowers, branches in trees, networks in roots. These designs aren’t just beautiful; they’re functional blueprints that have evolved over millions of years toContinueContinue reading “How Aquatic Plant Roots, Pollen, and Swarm Intelligence Are Shaping Tomorrow’s Technology”
What Bears, Sleep, and Space Can Teach Us About Healthy Futures
Every winter, bears quietly disappear into dens. They don’t eat. They don’t drink. They barely move. And yet, months later, they emerge strong, alert, and ready for life again. For years, bears have been a favourite organism for biomimicry learning — and for good reason. Their paws, fur, claws, diets, and digging behaviours are richContinueContinue reading “What Bears, Sleep, and Space Can Teach Us About Healthy Futures”
Invite a Tree and a Tree Kangaroo for Tea!
A video from Wunderled Teaching made me think of an old blog post about a Tea Party! Here is an updated version of my blog post and the video, High Tea Plaza Excursion. I would love to know who you would like to invite to a Tea Party! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_qI8xrkPk4 The Woodland Trust is encouraging familiesContinueContinue reading “Invite a Tree and a Tree Kangaroo for Tea!”
Life’s Hidden Teachers: What Extremophiles Know About Survival
What if nature wasn’t a museum to visit or a textbook to memorise—but a thinking partner? Right now, beneath Antarctic ice in lakes that have been dark for thousands of years, microscopic organisms are solving problems we’re still trying to understand. They live where almost nothing else can. No sunlight. Temperatures are far below freezing.ContinueContinue reading “Life’s Hidden Teachers: What Extremophiles Know About Survival”
Why I’m Setting Intentions, Not Goals, for 2026
2025 was supposed to be my year of writing—children’s stories about nature, biomimicry and climate change. These weren’t just random projects; they were meant to be part of a series I’d already begun, books designed to weave facts and fiction together to spark wonder in young readers. To show them that nature isn’t just somethingContinueContinue reading “Why I’m Setting Intentions, Not Goals, for 2026”
From Consumers to Creators: Using Nature’s Rhythms to Build Imaginative Intelligence
Every seed holds a secret: it grows not through force, but through the quiet patience of its surroundings. In the forest, stillness is not absence — it is presence. Beneath the hush of winter snow, life is busy weaving roots. Beneath the still pond, new worlds unfold. In these pauses, nature gathers itself, reflecting, recalibrating,ContinueContinue reading “From Consumers to Creators: Using Nature’s Rhythms to Build Imaginative Intelligence”
The Fire Beetle Sees What’s Coming: Adaptive Teaching in the Age of AI
A practical guide for educators to blend biomimicry, AI literacy, and climate resilience in the classroom. While most creatures flee from wildfire, the Australian fire beetle races toward it. This remarkable insect possesses infrared sensors so sensitive that it can detect a burning tree from 80 km (50 miles) away. But here’s what makes itContinueContinue reading “The Fire Beetle Sees What’s Coming: Adaptive Teaching in the Age of AI”
Learning from Living Systems: Four More Nature-Inspired Climate Assignments for the Age of Connection
In nature, life learns and adapts through relationships – every living system is shaped by its interactions with others and the world around it. A forest exchanges knowledge underground through its mycorrhizal threads, coral reefs build strength through countless tiny collaborations, and a flock of birds finds its direction not by hierarchy, but through connection.ContinueContinue reading “Learning from Living Systems: Four More Nature-Inspired Climate Assignments for the Age of Connection”
AskNature Chat – Creating a Story and Resource about Fire for Children
I have now tried the AskNature Chat! This blog post is inspired by the results. This is the first prompt that I tested, and the ideas evolved over a couple of days. About AskNature Chat “Guided by the overarching ethical approach of biomimicry –emulating the way life creates conditions conducive to life –it helps notContinueContinue reading “AskNature Chat – Creating a Story and Resource about Fire for Children”
How to Use AI to Discover Amazing Patterns That Could Change the World
Artificial Intelligence is like having a research assistant who never gets tired, it can sift through mountains of information in seconds. But just like a detective, it only finds the best clues if you ask the right questions. That’s where the magic happens: pairing smart prompts with nature’s timeless designs.
Nature, AI, and Raising Young Innovators: Ceane’s Infinite AI Adventure Meets Biomimicry
Biomimicry teaches us to look at nature’s genius, the spider’s web, the beehive, the leaf’s veins, for ideas that endure and solutions that work. But what if we could bring that same spirit of learning from nature to how children understand and interact with AI? That’s the heart of our new book, Ceane’s Infinite AI Adventure: A Young Explorer’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence, which inspires young minds to see artificial intelligence as a partner in discovery rather than a replacement for their own creativity and wonder.
What If Our Cities Copied Nature’s Solutions?
Imagine a world where our cities are part of nature. Let’s explore the incredible inventions that could make it happen! We’ll discover how architects are building “animal apartment buildings,” how engineers are bringing buried rivers back to life, and how you can become a biomimicry expert right in your own backyard. Get ready to see how cities are copying nature’s best ideas to help our planet!
Nature’s Inventions: How Engineers Borrow Ideas from Plants and Bugs
Have you ever looked at a busy ant and wondered how it builds a city right under our feet? What if our cities could learn from nature’s incredible secrets? In this new blog series, we’ll become nature detectives and discover how cities are copying plants and animals to become amazing, nature-inspired playgrounds. Get ready to explore a world where buildings are like forests, streets are like rivers, and cities are a home for everyone!
Ancient Wisdom and Modern Robots: How Prehistoric Plants Could Revolutionise Growing Robotics
When we look at robots today, we often imagine shiny metal machines with wheels or arms. But what if a robot could grow like a plant? Scientists are now making “growing robots” that build themselves little by little, just like plants add leaves or stems.
Some of the best ideas for these robots come from very old plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago!
Growing Tomorrow’s Climate Innovators: Biophilic Design Meets AI Literacy
In an age where the built environment and technological advancements are taking precedence over environmental concerns and the natural world, how do we raise children who are rooted in nature and ready for an AI-driven future? This post explores biophilic design and AI literacy, showing how climate-smart schools can breathe, adapt, and inspire. From learning under shade structures that mimic flower petals to prompting AI like nature detectives, children are not just observing the world, they’re shaping its future. Discover how tomorrow’s environmental innovators are growing today, one thoughtful question at a time.
How Biomimicry Can Be Used to Address Climate Change
What if the answers to our biggest climate challenges have already been solved, by nature? In this post, we’ll explore how biomimicry, design inspired by the strategies of living organisms, is helping to create innovative climate solutions. We’ll also look at how children can take part in this movement through storytelling, hands-on design challenges, and imaginative exploration. By learning from the resilience and ingenuity of the natural world, young minds can help shape a more sustainable future.
How to Use Nature as Inspiration in the Classroom
Discover how to transform your classroom into a creative, nature-inspired space where curiosity blooms and ideas grow. This post offers practical and playful strategies to bring nature into learning, whether through outdoor journaling, indoor discovery tables, or storytelling rooted in the natural world. It’s not about testing, it’s about giving children time and space to explore, imagine, and revisit their ideas with wonder.
AI Prompting for Nature Enthusiasts
Discover how the natural world can fuel your imagination in the age of AI. This post explores creative prompting ideas inspired by biomimicry, ecosystems, and the patterns of the wild — perfect for writers, educators, and anyone seeking to merge technology with nature’s wisdom. Whether you’re crafting stories, designing lessons, or sparking innovation, let forests, rivers, and even fungi guide your next great idea.
August in the Nature Classroom
Back to School Month! Or maybe we should call it Prepare for Back to School Month. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the timing of school commencement varies, with some starting in August while others begin in September. Back to School symbolises the excitement of learning! A fresh start filled with hopes and dreams. As we startContinueContinue reading “August in the Nature Classroom”
What Nature Can Teach Us About Greener AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a part of everyday life, powering everything from voice assistants to personalised learning tools. However, this technological advancement comes with a significant environmental cost. Training and running AI systems use a lot of energy, which means more carbon emissions. It also drives higher water usage and e-waste. For example, aContinueContinue reading “What Nature Can Teach Us About Greener AI”
Tech Meets Nature: Can AI Spark a Love for Science?
A Bat in the Urban Garden The bat appeared out of nowhere. A sudden, fleeting shadow against the fading light of dusk. In the heart of the urban garden, this glimpse was a unique window into the hidden natural world thriving amidst the bricks and concrete. The unexpected appearance of this shadowy visitor serves as aContinueContinue reading “Tech Meets Nature: Can AI Spark a Love for Science?”
AI as your Biomimicry Brainstorming Partner
I am a curious person, and I believe it is important to continue to learn new things. So, I have spent part of this weekend learning to prompt AI. I have now completed the course “Use AI as a Creative or Expert Partner”. I will write a series of blog posts about ways to useContinueContinue reading “AI as your Biomimicry Brainstorming Partner”
Nature Meets Urban: Creating Wildlife-Friendly Cities of the Future
Designing future cities requires a fundamental shift in perspective. We must actively integrate the needs of wildlife. Sometimes, curiosity is such a wonderful thing! What started as frustration with finding something interesting for a booklet about woodland animals and climate change ended with an eye-opening insight into ways of including wildlife in urban areas. WhatContinueContinue reading “Nature Meets Urban: Creating Wildlife-Friendly Cities of the Future”
How Can We Help Children Understand the Effects of Climate Change?
Creative and Critical Thinking about Climate Change Our climate is changing, and children worry about how these changes affect their lives. Climate change disproportionately impacts children, who are more vulnerable to its effects than adults due to their developing bodies and minds. Climate change also infringes on children’s rights to food, water, health care andContinueContinue reading “How Can We Help Children Understand the Effects of Climate Change?”
Endangered Pangolins: Save These Scaly Wonders
Pangolins, often called scaly anteaters, are unique mammals in Asia and Africa. They might look like reptiles, with overlapping scales made of keratin, a protein found in human fingernails and hair, but they are mammals and not closely related to anteaters. The scales cover most of their bodies, offering essential protection against predators. Behaviour andContinueContinue reading “Endangered Pangolins: Save These Scaly Wonders”
Magnolia – Dinosaur-Age Flowers and Beetles
Magnolias, beetles, and dinosaurs might seem like random words. While seemingly different, these groups share a fascinating history that reveals insights into ancient ecosystems and evolutionary processes. As Maria Popova beautifully puts it, magnolias are “titans of resilience” — flowering since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, long before bees ever appeared to help them spread theirContinueContinue reading “Magnolia – Dinosaur-Age Flowers and Beetles”
National Poetry Month: A Biomimicry Celebration
April is National Poetry Month, a time to celebrate the power of words and the beauty of language. Many wonderful science poetry books for children are available, such as Water Can Be. . . by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Violeta Dabija. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GZSOZVWuOQ&t=16s This year, let’s explore the intersection of poetry and science, specificallyContinueContinue reading “National Poetry Month: A Biomimicry Celebration”
Biomimicry and Biophilic Design – Stepping into Kindergarten
Below are the text and AI images used to design and explore modern-day Kindergartens. I thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself and learned so much! Children deserve the Best! Thanks to Pernille and Phil, who helped with ideas and the development of this design concept. This is a speculative design concept — an imaginative exploration of whatContinueContinue reading “Biomimicry and Biophilic Design – Stepping into Kindergarten”
Exploring Scary and Creepy Animals – The Goblin Shark
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 eagerContinueContinue reading “Exploring Scary and Creepy Animals – The Goblin Shark”
Keystone Species – Savannah Clearers and Gardeners of the Forest
Elephants are fascinating keystone species. They act as ecosystem engineers by modifying, creating, and maintaining habitats in which other species can survive. Elephants play an invaluable role in their ecosystem, influencing animals and plants. In the video below, Gamelihle Sibanda asks questions inspired by elephants. One question is, “How does nature perceive danger before itContinueContinue reading “Keystone Species – Savannah Clearers and Gardeners of the Forest”
The Colorful World of Animals: A Symphony of Signals
How did animals get so colourful? From colour-changing chameleons to bright feathers, multi-coloured faces and bright blue frogs. Animals use colours and patterns to send signals. Colours are used as warning signals and as camouflage. But there is so much we do not know about how animals use colours. Imagine a world where you cannotContinueContinue reading “The Colorful World of Animals: A Symphony of Signals”
Slow Life – Coral Meditation
Slow down and connect with the calming essence of nature through the mesmerizing world of corals. Time-lapses offer a unique window into the hidden life of these fascinating creatures. By compressing time, we witness the slow, steady growth of coral reefs, the intricate dance of marine life, and the fierce competition for survival. These intricateContinueContinue reading “Slow Life – Coral Meditation”
Discover the Flying RAVEN Robot and Empowering Robots for Self-Worth – Video Inspirations
Meet RAVEN, the Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments. It has lightweight bird-like legs and can walk, hop, and jump into flight. Researchers studied bird anatomy to better understand how birds leap from earth to sky. The Purpose Behind RAVEN Understanding the purpose of a robot is vital, and in this case, understanding how aContinueContinue reading “Discover the Flying RAVEN Robot and Empowering Robots for Self-Worth – Video Inspirations”
A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry – Outdoor Space
Welcome to the Kindergarten Outdoor Learning Space of the Future! Wildflowers! Garden Patch! Secret Garden! Moss Wall! Risky Play! Climbing Structures! Loose Parts! Cocoons! Water Play! How can we design an outdoor space for young children that encourages curiosity, creativity, play, and learning? This continues an idea we explored in more depth in Biomimicry andContinueContinue reading “A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry – Outdoor Space”
Exploring The Wild Robot and the Wonders of Biomimicry
In The Wild Robot, the robot Roz uses biomimicry to adapt to her environment and survive on a remote island. As a regular reader of this blog, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered this captivating book! It also explores another of my favourite topics, development. As a cognitive scientist specialising in child development,ContinueContinue reading “Exploring The Wild Robot and the Wonders of Biomimicry”
Desert Dream – Cacti City Inspired by Saguaros
In the previous blog post, we explored saguaro cacti using the book Opportunities for Everyone: Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities. Below are two pages from our Nature & Biomimicry Journal with ideas for a cacti city and sketches of saguaro cacti. The homes in the skyscrapers are inspired by the nestContinueContinue reading “Desert Dream – Cacti City Inspired by Saguaros”
Saguaro Cactus – Nurturing Wildlife and Sparking Creativity
“What would a saguaro cacti-inspired city look like? A city filled with buildings with water-saving devices and cool houses. What ideas do you have for a cacti city that is prepared for heatwaves?” Asa Jomard & The Beezy Teacher Saguaro cacti provide homes to many desert species, such as the Gila Woodpecker. One of theContinueContinue reading “Saguaro Cactus – Nurturing Wildlife and Sparking Creativity”
A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry
Welcome to the Kindergarten of the Future! Mushroom lighting! Botanical Solar Tree! Sound-absorbing Paint! Woodflake Skin & Walls! How can we design a space for young children that encourages curiosity, creativity, play, and learning? What attention should designers pay to maximising ecological well-being? This continues an idea we explored in more depth in Biomimicry andContinueContinue reading “A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry”
Nature & Biomimicry Journaling for Kids
We are starting the new year by making some journals. The idea is to use these journals when we are spending time outdoors and also with the book Opportunities for Everyone: Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities. This book is filled with engaging biomimicry challenges and hands-on activities, making it perfect forContinueContinue reading “Nature & Biomimicry Journaling for Kids”
The Importance of Storytelling for Biomimicry
I like the idea of viewing nature as a library with exciting stories waiting to be discovered. Christa Avampato describes nature as “a classroom, a library, a pharmacy… a living thriving museum” — a whole world of stories, if we’re willing to look for them. The more I think about teaching biomimicry to young children,ContinueContinue reading “The Importance of Storytelling for Biomimicry”
Awesome, Fascinating and Important – Inspired by Keystone Species
Nature needs our help now more than ever. This winter, make space for STEAM and biomimicry activities and create hope for the future. Our book on Keystone Species is now available – Paperback and Hardcover! Frequently Asked Questions What is biomimicry? Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what weContinueContinue reading “Awesome, Fascinating and Important – Inspired by Keystone Species”
Opportunities for Everyone – Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities
Summer 2024 rained away, more or less. But there is often a plus side to everything. So here is a book project that grew with each rainy day! TheBeezyTeacher and I hope you will enjoy reading about 12 keystone species. The book is filled with activities, some STEAM, but also, of course, some biomimicry activities.ContinueContinue reading “Opportunities for Everyone – Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities”
Regrowing Limbs
Imagine having materials that could fix and heal themselves. What if bridges could repair their cracks? What if paints could deal with the impact of different sorts of weather and seal up scratches? What would you design? Developing self-healing capabilities is popular and fascinating! If something gets hurt, it can fix and repair itself. ForContinueContinue reading “Regrowing Limbs”
September in the Nature Classroom
As summer gradually fades, September offers a wealth of opportunities to explore the wonder of the natural world. The vibrant colours of changing leaves, the conkers, and the acorns! The woodlands and parks are like a treasure box – filled with wonderful things you can explore in the classroom or homeschool. I watched an inspiringContinueContinue reading “September in the Nature Classroom”
Biophilic Design in Learning Spaces
Let’s design a dream classroom that inspires and is healthy! Starting the new term or year in your classroom or homeschool can be even more exciting if you discuss and explore ways to enhance the learning space. What is on the wishlist to make the most of the learning environment? There is a reason whyContinueContinue reading “Biophilic Design in Learning Spaces”
August in the Nature Classroom
Back to School Month! Or maybe we should call it Prepare for Back to School Month. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the timing of school commencement varies, with some starting in August while others begin in September. Back to School symbolises excitement of learning! A fresh start filled with hopes and dreams. As we start onContinueContinue reading “August in the Nature Classroom”
Sea Otters Using Kelp as Anchor
Looking for inspiration for our book about Keystone Species, I stumbled upon this wonderful contribution to the Biomimicry Institute’s Youth Design Challenge 2021 The students designed a solution to protect people living in flood-prone areas, drawing inspiration from several animals at once. The homes themselves take their teardrop shape from a swordfish’s hydrodynamics, with aContinueContinue reading “Sea Otters Using Kelp as Anchor”
July in the Nature Classroom
July is here! Feeling the heat in the classroom? Why not engage your kids in a project focusing on innovative ways to cool buildings, drawing inspiration from the remarkable toco toucan’s beak? Don’t Step on a Bee Day – July 10th Love the name of this special day aimed at raising awareness about the importanceContinueContinue reading “July in the Nature Classroom”
Star-Nosed Mole Biomimicry – MOLisha’s Plastic Detector
The star-nosed mole can smell underwater using air bubbles.Can you invent something amazing and useful using this as inspiration? Moles are small mammals with velvety fur and small eyes. They are adapted to a subterranean lifestyle and are famous for their short, powerful arms and large paws adapted for tunnelling. Although gardeners do not alwaysContinueContinue reading “Star-Nosed Mole Biomimicry – MOLisha’s Plastic Detector”
Care for Our Coral Reefs
Happy World Ocean Month! You can download this poster for free and use it in your classroom to inspire Awe and Care. poster-coral-1Download 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 meansContinueContinue reading “Care for Our Coral Reefs”
Masterbuilders: Exploring the Art of Bird Nest Construction
Weaverbirds master every loop as they create stunning nests using just their beaks from fresh grass. Weaverbirds, or Poceidae, are small birds famous for their amazing nest-building skills. The birds design and build intricate nests using fine leaf fibres, grass, and twigs. They start with a simple knot and weave the most intricate nest. WhileContinueContinue reading “Masterbuilders: Exploring the Art of Bird Nest Construction”
Fantastic Camel Adaptations to Cold Ice and Hot Sand
Camels used to live in the Arctic! The famous desert animals used to walk around on the ice and snow! Camels have a fascinating history that extends beyond the deserts we commonly associate them with. Contrary to popular belief, camels did not originate in the desert but in the Canadian Arctic – around 3.5 millionContinueContinue reading “Fantastic Camel Adaptations to Cold Ice and Hot Sand”
Earth Day 2024!
The plastic crisis facing our Earth is enormous, yet biomimicry design offers a hope-driven approach to problems. Earth provides us with stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife. Take some time this Earth Day to breathe in our planet’s beauty and ponder the delicate balance between enough despair to move us to action and hope for aContinueContinue reading “Earth Day 2024!”
Fantastic Coral Reef Books for Kids
Coral reefs! I will never forget my first encounter with one of the world’s natural wonders. It had been a rough boat trip, but nothing could spoil this joyous moment. The Great Barrier Reef was a magical place brimming with beauty and life even on a cloudy and grey day. Sadly, coral bleaching worldwide isContinueContinue reading “Fantastic Coral Reef Books for Kids”
Creative Activities to Explore Native Australian & New Zealand Wildlife
Below are links to resources I have created inspired by New Zealand and Australia’s unique and wonderful wildlife. Learn about Australia’s unique and endemic wildlife, from iconic koalas to spiny, ant-eating echidnas and the duck-billed egglaying platypus. The focus is on learning about the life cycle and using the remarkable animals as inspiration for creativeContinueContinue reading “Creative Activities to Explore Native Australian & New Zealand Wildlife”
Home by Isabelle Simler
“The octopus makes its home in a beautiful stony villa, the bowerbird decorates his incredible blue pavilion. Come on a journey into the world of talented homemakers. Explore inside their dream homes and imagine life through the eyes of European penduline tits, the common octopus and the alpine marmot. “Home” by French illustrator and authorContinueContinue reading “Home by Isabelle Simler”
Unveiling the Secrets: How the Smell of Coral Reefs Reveals Insights into Heat Stress?
Have you ever wondered what the smell of a coral reef can tell us about its well-being under heat stress? Do vibrant and healthy coral reefs emit a scent? If they do, what does it smell like? Biomimicry usually starts with our eyes — we notice a shape, a texture, a colour pattern, and askContinueContinue reading “Unveiling the Secrets: How the Smell of Coral Reefs Reveals Insights into Heat Stress?”
Can You Spot Seahorses?
Pygmy seahorses are a special species of seahorse – they range in size from 13 to 27 mm between the tip of the tail to the end of the snout. They have adapted for their small size, and they are notorious for their clever camouflage. Pygmy seahorses live in coral reefs. It was only ratherContinueContinue reading “Can You Spot Seahorses?”
Sea Otters Babies’ Swimming Lessons
Swimming Lessons for Sea Otter Babies! The sea otter can live its entire life without leaving the water, but its babies cannot swim when they are born. So the baby has to learn to swim, and the learning starts shortly after birth when the mother otter introduces the pup to the water. From the beginning,ContinueContinue reading “Sea Otters Babies’ Swimming Lessons”
How Have the Arctic Bees Adapted to a Cold Climate? What happens when the Climate Changes?
How can a bumblebee survive in the cold Arctic Summer? Bombus polaris and Bombus pyrrhopygus, known as the Arctic bumblebees, live in northern Scandinavia, Canada, Russia, and the US state of Alaska. These are cold places, and surviving in them requires a greater effort to regulate their temperature. This insect might be a small animal,ContinueContinue reading “How Have the Arctic Bees Adapted to a Cold Climate? What happens when the Climate Changes?”
What is a Keystone Species? – Sea Otters, Kelp Forests & Sea Urchins
In our book, Orla’s Golden Blanket: Sea Otters’ Secret to a Bright Blue Future, we explore how keystone species like sea otters have a big impact on an ecosystem. Keystone species, also called ecosystem engineers, can be animals, plants or microorganisms. Wolves, elephants, sea stars, and corals are examples of keystone species. In the videoContinueContinue reading “What is a Keystone Species? – Sea Otters, Kelp Forests & Sea Urchins”
Orla’s Golden Blanket: Sea Otters’ Secret to a Bright Blue Future
An otterly lovely gift for every nature lover Go ahead, dive in! It’s pleasurable, really. You’ll explore golden kelp forests and learn about the importance that sea otters play in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. Sea otters are playful and always hungry. They love kelping and playing in the underwater forests. But how can aContinueContinue reading “Orla’s Golden Blanket: Sea Otters’ Secret to a Bright Blue Future”
Trees are Important for Cities! – Inspirational Videos
Trees are important for our cities! By 2025, it is estimated that two out of every three people will be living in cities or other urban centres (UN report). It is also estimated that by 2030 there will be 43 so-called megacities, cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. Today there are 31 megacities. MostContinueContinue reading “Trees are Important for Cities! – Inspirational Videos”
Sea Urchins & Kelp Forests
Below are a couple of videos about sea urchins. These global and spiny echinoderms are often very pretty, and they come in a variety of colours. They can be found on the sea beds of every ocean. Like most things in nature, balance is vital – and too many sea urchins can severely influence anContinueContinue reading “Sea Urchins & Kelp Forests”
Treescrapers for Kids
Yesterday, I posted a rather long blog post about Treescrapers. Here are some of our ideas. It is winter here, so not much material to collect in the garden. But we used what we found, and after all, it is the learning and ideas that are important. Frequently Asked Questions What is biomimicry? Biomimicry isContinueContinue reading “Treescrapers for Kids”
How to Design a Future Green City with Treescrapers
Treescrapers are skyscrapers that work like trees. The scrapers make oxygen, distil water, and produce energy. Let’s design a City with Treescrapers. In a previous blog post, “Cities that help saving our planet,” we explored two examples of green ideas for cities: the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore and Bosco Verticale in Milan. InContinueContinue reading “How to Design a Future Green City with Treescrapers”
What is Watermelon Snow?
Snow is white or whiteish, right? Wrong! There is yellow, orange, grey, green, black, blue and even red snow! Some of the colours come from dust and dirt, while others come from algae. Watermelon snow is also known as blood snow, pink or red snow. You find this snow in mountains and polar regions. TheContinueContinue reading “What is Watermelon Snow?”
Amazing Students’ Biomimicry Designs to Deal with Extreme Heat
A couple of months ago, I posted a blog post about using Snails to inspire ideas. Look and marvel at this team of high school students in Pakistan, using inspiration from the shells of desert snails and the Saharan silver ant. These animals have unique biological strategies that help them survive in hot climates. TheContinueContinue reading “Amazing Students’ Biomimicry Designs to Deal with Extreme Heat”
Cities that help saving our planet
The video from Planet Earth 11 is so inspiring! Love the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. And the project in Milan is awesome. These ideas show that it is possible to design cities that are friendly to wildlife, more energy efficient, and more sustainable. We can design cities for the future! Cities for theContinueContinue reading “Cities that help saving our planet”
Inspiration from Ridiculously Cute Sea Otters
There is so much more to sea otters than being ridiculously cute. They are regarded as keystone species in their ecosystem – ecosystem engineers. Sea otters eat sea urchins, which help the underwater kelp forests to flourish. They look almost comical when their faces are bobbing up and down in the waters. They love lyingContinueContinue reading “Inspiration from Ridiculously Cute Sea Otters”
Kelp’s role in our Ocean
Underwater kelp forests are among the most productive places on Earth. The forests support a range of marine life, and they are one of the most biodiverse places on our planet. Here you’ll find squid nurseries, crabs, seals, whales, and sea otters. Kelps are not plants; they are algae. Some species form large underwater forestsContinueContinue reading “Kelp’s role in our Ocean”
Birds’ Third Eyelid – Inspirational Video
What an extraordinary slow-motion video by Japanese photographer Fumihiko Hirai. The video shows a close-up of the nictitating membranes in action. The third eyelid protects the eye, moistening it, and may potentially aid in camouflage. This translucent or opaque membrane is also found in reptiles and certain mammals. Take your time and watch this videoContinueContinue reading “Birds’ Third Eyelid – Inspirational Video”
Sponges! How to design flood-resistant cities.
What is a sponge city? Sponges are known for their exceptional ability to absorb water. Sponge cities are designed to imitate the natural water cycle. The aim is to use green infrastructure to slow water and enhance ground absorption of water. By using, for example, green roofs, rain gardens, bioswales, parks and wetlands, the ideaContinueContinue reading “Sponges! How to design flood-resistant cities.”
Reasons why it’s important to be Curious about Patterns in Nature
Nature is filled with ingenious designs – from how a leaf grows to spots on a leopard, and spirals of shells to bubbles used by snails. Studying patterns can be a wonderful activity, yet making sense of wonders is not always easy. The purpose of patterns can range from camouflage and warning signals to regulatingContinueContinue reading “Reasons why it’s important to be Curious about Patterns in Nature”
Observing Changes in Seasons
“In that earliest childhood, we get those invisible glasses through which we look at the world all our lives, and these glasses color our views.”Lainšček, 2020 The end of Autumn! Observing the changes in the weather and the seasons is fascinating. But often, we do not take the time to watch and ponder over theContinueContinue reading “Observing Changes in Seasons”
How to be Animal-Friendly this Spooky Season?
Spooky celebrations can be such fun! Creating a ghost-like atmosphere in the garden or classroom is something that many of us take very seriously. We challenges our readers to think about: How can you decorate without using materials that can harm animals? What animals can get stuck in decorations? What animals eat decorations? What materialsContinueContinue reading “How to be Animal-Friendly this Spooky Season?”
Super Mushroom & Fungi – Innovative Ideas
You can download this poster for free and use it in your classroom to inspire creative thinking using mushroom and fungi. Hope your kids get lots of glowing ideas! mushroom-innovative-ideas_flattenDownload Click here for blog posts about fungi. Frequently Asked Questions What is biomimicry? Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applyingContinueContinue reading “Super Mushroom & Fungi – Innovative Ideas”
Four Rhino Biomimicry Projects – Feet, Horns, Skin and Ecobiomimicry
A biomimicry project using rhinos as inspiration can spark off great ideas and provide insight into ways to solve tricky design problems. Biomimicry can be classified at three levels: form, process and system. Rhino are ecosystem engineers, and they can be used as inspiration for system biomimicry, also called ecosystem biomimicry. Let’s start with theContinueContinue reading “Four Rhino Biomimicry Projects – Feet, Horns, Skin and Ecobiomimicry”
Why are Rhinos Important?
Rhinos are ecosystem engineers! They help to shape the wilderness so that other species may thrive. Thus, the loss of rhinos will impact several other species. These remarkable animals are vital in maintaining and creating a balanced and healthy ecosystem. No species should go extinct due to human impact, and understanding how every creature contributesContinueContinue reading “Why are Rhinos Important?”
What Does a Baby Rhino Sound Like?
Baby rhinos make the most unexpected sound. The most adorable sound – a cross between a whale and puppies or kittens. What do these baby rhinos sound like to you? Elephants might have been my first love! And there are so many memorable Hippo stories, but the more I learned about rhinos they more IContinueContinue reading “What Does a Baby Rhino Sound Like?”
The Story behind the Story – The Rhino In Me
Earlier this year I attended a workshop about animal communication. One of the speakers was Helena Kriel the Founder and Board President from Baby Rhino Rescue. The book “The Rhino In Me: A Story of Friendship, Protection and Milk Lollies” was inspired by her story about a baby rhino and a sheep. This book hasContinueContinue reading “The Story behind the Story – The Rhino In Me”
The One and Only Ruby
Tuskday! This brilliant sequel to Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob is certain to steal kids’ hearts. It deals with complex, emotional and extremely important issues, yet the adorable Ruby manages to provide hope for the conservation of elephant populations. I love the included elephant glossary, which includesContinueContinue reading “The One and Only Ruby”
Woodpeckers: Fantastic Long Tongue and Amazing Skull
Learn how to draw a woodpecker. Pause the video and follow the step-by-step instructions. You can also draw a sketch of the woodpecker’s skull. Where does the woodpecker keep its long tongue? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aJult_q5A0 Use the drawing to explore amazing biological strategies that the woodpecker is using. You may also like Amazing Creatures to Spot inContinueContinue reading “Woodpeckers: Fantastic Long Tongue and Amazing Skull”
Amazing Creatures to Spot in Autumn
Built-in hammers! During autumn, you can see squirrels collecting acorns. But woodpeckers also love acorns! The acorn woodpecker is famous for hoarding acorns. In our garden, we occasionally have a visit from green woodpeckers. This stunning green bird has a red crown. Both sexes have a moustache stripe, but the male’s is red in theContinueContinue reading “Amazing Creatures to Spot in Autumn”
September Sound Mapping
“The day will come when man will have to fight noise as inexorably as cholera and the plague.” Robert Koch, 1905 Nobel Prize-winning bacteriologist The city is filled with noises – loud, monotone sounds. Often in today’s world, silence is difficult to find and create. Quiet is good not only for us humans but alsoContinueContinue reading “September Sound Mapping”
Aye-aye – Endangered, Misunderstood and Remarkable!
Do your kids love animals that look a bit creepy? Meet the scary-looking nocturnal lemur with freaking fingers. This unique primate has the face of a possum, the tooth of a mouse, and a bat’s ears. Its scientific name is Daubentonia Madagascariensis, and the lemur is in Madagascar. It is an endangered and misunderstood animal.ContinueContinue reading “Aye-aye – Endangered, Misunderstood and Remarkable!”