Picture a landscape after a wildfire has passed through. Blackened trunks. Grey ash where undergrowth used to be. Smoke still hanging low over the hills. Most of us look at that scene and see an ending. Nature disagrees. This is what wildfires can teach children about patience, timing, and turning crisis into opportunity — threeContinueContinue reading “Fire Doesn’t End the Story — It Turns the Page”
Tag Archives: Plants
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”
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 Robots!
Jumping kangaroo-inspired robots, soft, flexible robots inspired by the elephant’s trunk. What next? I have been fascinated by the idea of using animals as inspiration for robots. Yet, to push the way we design robots even further, we might need to look at the world of plants. Plants as the inspiration, you might think. PlantsContinueContinue reading “Growing Robots!”
Reindeer Challenge – Zero Waste Ideas for a Reindeer Party
Plastic is everywhere! Can you help design packing materials for a Reindeer Party to celebrate that all the Xmas gifts have been delivered around the world? Reindeer are vegetarians, so they eat only plants. During the summer months, they eat grass and shrubs. Once the snow covers the tundra, they start looking for lichen. WhyContinueContinue reading “Reindeer Challenge – Zero Waste Ideas for a Reindeer Party”
Inspired by Plantopedia
This blog post contains affiliate links. Bring the joy of plants to children! Parks, woodlands and gardens are dazzling with interesting plants. There are the stinkers, the air freshers, and the perfumed. Plantopedia: Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth (Wide Eyed) by Adrienne Barman has all sorts of plants, from the biggest to theContinueContinue reading “Inspired by Plantopedia”
Cherry Blossom Estate – Eco-friendly Houses Inspired by Nature
“build buildings like trees and cities like forests” William McDonough Ah, the dance of the cherry trees. Few things in nature are as lovely as the pink clouds of cherry blossoms. A wonderful way to welcome Spring. The loveliness is perhaps even more lovely since it is so fleeting. And the display in our gardenContinueContinue reading “Cherry Blossom Estate – Eco-friendly Houses Inspired by Nature”
Pussy Willow Madness – Art, Poem and Science
What way does the willow grow where you live? There are some special willows that grow in the Arctic. The branches help to protect the plants from the cold wind. Can you draw a Polar Willow that grows in the Arctic? The pussy willows are out, and that is a sure sign that spring isContinueContinue reading “Pussy Willow Madness – Art, Poem and Science”
Climate Smart Fairy Houses
Nowadays even fairies need to be climate-smart. So we built climate-smart houses for the fairies that live in our garden. We got inspiration from studying cones. Pine cones open and close depending on the level of moisture in the air. The scales of pine cones open in hot and dry weather and close in wetContinueContinue reading “Climate Smart Fairy Houses”