Biomimetics, also called biomimicry, is the process of copying natural models, systems, and elements to solve difficult human challenges. The words "biomimetics" and "biomimicry" come from Ancient Greek: bios, meaning life, and mīmēsis, meaning imitation, from mīmeisthai, to imitate, and mimos, an actor. Together, these words describe the act of copying life. A similar area of study is called bionics.
The Theory of Evolution describes how living things have changed and developed over more than 3.8 billion years, based on observations of how life has appeared on Earth. This theory suggests that species can evolve to have strong abilities using common materials. Surfaces of solid objects interact with other surfaces and their surroundings, which influences the properties of materials. Biological materials are highly organized, from the smallest molecular level to larger scales like nano-, micro-, and macro-levels, often in layered structures with complex tiny designs that create many useful features. The properties of materials and surfaces depend on how their structure, shape, and physical and chemical characteristics work together. Many materials, surfaces, and objects have multiple functions.
Engineers, material scientists, chemists, and biologists have created various materials, structures, and devices for commercial use. Artists and architects have also designed materials, structures, and objects for beauty, structure, and style. Nature has solved engineering challenges, such as self-repair, resistance to environmental damage, water-repelling surfaces, self-assembly, and using sunlight for energy. The economic value of materials and surfaces inspired by nature is large, reaching hundreds of billions of dollars each year globally.
History
One of the earliest examples of biomimicry involved studying birds and bats to help humans learn how to fly. Although Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) never created a working "flying machine," he closely studied the anatomy and flight of birds and mammals. He made detailed notes and drawings about his observations and designs for "flying machines." Later, the Wright Brothers successfully flew the first heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903. They reportedly got ideas from watching pigeons fly.
In the 1950s, Otto Schmitt, an American scientist with many areas of expertise, developed the concept of "biomimetics." During his research for his doctorate, he studied the nerves in squid to create a device that mimicked how nerves send signals in living things. He continued to design tools that copied natural systems. By 1957, he noticed an idea opposite to the usual thinking about biophysics at the time, which he later called biomimetics.
In 1960, Jack E. Steele introduced a similar term, "bionics," at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where Otto Schmitt also worked. Steele described bionics as "the science of systems that copy functions from nature or represent characteristics of natural systems." In 1963, Schmitt said:
In 1969, Schmitt used the term "biomimetic" in the title of one of his papers. By 1974, the word "biomimetic" appeared in Webster's Dictionary. The term "bionics" was added to the same dictionary in 1960 as "a science concerned with using knowledge about how biological systems work to solve engineering problems." Later, the word "bionic" took on a different meaning when it was used in a book and a television show. It became linked to "electronically operated artificial body parts" and "human abilities improved by such devices." Because "bionic" suggested supernatural strength, scientists in English-speaking countries mostly stopped using it.
The term "biomimicry" first appeared in 1982. It became widely known after Janine Benyus, a scientist and writer, used it in her 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. She defined biomimicry as "a new science that studies nature's models and uses them as inspiration to solve human problems." Benyus encouraged people to look to nature as a "Model, Measure, and Mentor" and stressed the importance of sustainability in biomimicry.
In 2013, a report by the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute, commissioned by the San Diego Zoo, showed the long-term benefits of biomimicry. The report highlighted its potential to improve both the economy and the environment. These ideas are further explored in Johannes-Paul Fladerer and Ernst Kurzmann's "managemANT" approach. This term, a mix of "management" and "ant," describes how strategies used by ants can be applied to business and management.
Bio-inspired technologies
Biomimetics can be used in many areas. Because living things are so varied and complex, there are many features that could be copied. Biomimetic projects are at different stages of development, from ideas that might one day be used in products to early models. Murray's law, which originally helped determine the best size for blood vessels, has been changed to create simple formulas for finding the best size of pipes or tubes to make systems with the least weight.
Aircraft wings and flying methods are being inspired by birds and bats. The design of the fast Japanese train, the Shinkansen 500 Series, was modeled after the beak of a kingfisher bird to improve its aerodynamics.
Robots that copy the way animals move include BionicKangaroo, which moves like a kangaroo and saves energy from one jump to use in the next. Kamigami Robots, a toy for children, copy how cockroaches move to run quickly over different surfaces. Pleobot is a robot inspired by shrimp to study how they swim and how their movement affects the environment.
Bio-Inspired Flying Robots (BFRs) take ideas from flying mammals, birds, or insects. Some BFRs use flapping wings to create lift and thrust, while others use propellers. BFRs with flapping wings use energy more efficiently, move more easily, and use less energy than those with propellers. BFRs inspired by mammals and birds have similar features, such as making wings stiffer to avoid problems like wingtip curl. BFRs inspired by mammals and insects can be strong and handle impacts, making them useful in crowded spaces.
BFRs inspired by mammals often copy bats, but some are also based on flying squirrels. Examples include Bat Bot and DALER, which are inspired by bats. These BFRs can fly and move on the ground. To reduce the force of landing, they can use shock absorbers on their wings or increase drag to slow down before touching the ground. They can also use different movement patterns when landing.
BFRs inspired by birds can copy raptors, gulls, or other birds. These BFRs can have feathers to help them operate better in different flight conditions. Their wings can change shape to improve flight efficiency. A raptor-inspired BFR by Savastano et al. has wings that can move in many ways and can carry up to 0.8 kg while climbing, diving, and recovering quickly. A gull-inspired BFR by Grant et al. copies how gulls move their elbows and wrists, and it works best when these movements are opposite but equal.
BFRs inspired by insects often copy beetles or dragonflies. A beetle-inspired BFR by Phan and Park and a dragonfly-inspired BFR by Hu et al. are examples. Insect-inspired BFRs flap their wings much faster than other BFRs because of how insects fly. These BFRs are smaller and better for tight spaces. The beetle-inspired BFR by Phan and Park can keep flying after hitting something by changing the shape of its wings.
Living things have changed over time through processes like mutation and selection. The main idea of biomimetics is that nature has already solved many problems and found the best ways to survive. Similarly, biomimetic architecture looks for building solutions found in nature. While nature is a model, few examples of biomimetic architecture aim to help the environment more than just copy it.
In the 21st century, buildings often waste energy because of poor designs and high energy use during their lifetime. However, new tools for making things, imaging, and simulations have made it easier to copy nature in architecture. This has led to new ideas for solving energy problems. Biomimetic architecture is one way to design buildings sustainably by using principles from nature, not just for looks but for how buildings work and save energy.
Biomimetic architecture means studying and using natural designs to create sustainable buildings. It uses nature as a model, a standard for measuring success, and a teacher for solving problems. Using nature as a standard means checking how well human-made things work compared to natural systems. Using nature as a teacher means learning from natural rules and using biology as inspiration.
Biomorphic architecture, sometimes called bio-decoration, uses shapes and patterns from nature to create artistic designs in buildings. It may not always have practical or economic benefits. An example from ancient times includes using tree or plant shapes in decorations on columns in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman buildings.
In biomimetic architecture, two main methods are used: bottom-up and top-down. The bottom-up method starts with new discoveries from biology that could help in design. For example, creating materials that copy the properties of natural systems. The top-down method focuses on improving existing products by using ideas from nature. These methods often overlap, and teams of scientists, engineers, architects, and others work together to solve problems.
Researchers studied how termites keep their mounds at a steady temperature and humidity in Africa, even when outside temperatures range from 1.5 to 40 °C (34.7 to 104.0 °F). They scanned a termite mound to create 3-D images, which showed a structure that could influence building designs.
Other technologies
Protein folding has been used to help create materials that form self-assembled nanostructures with special functions. The fur of polar bears has inspired the design of materials that collect heat and make warm clothing. Scientists have studied the way the eyes of moths reflect light to make solar panels more efficient by reducing glare.
The Bombardier beetle's strong spray inspired a Swedish company to create a "micro mist" spray that uses less carbon than traditional aerosols. The beetle mixes chemicals and sprays them through a nozzle on its tail to confuse enemies.
Most viruses have outer shells that are 20 to 300 nm in size. These shells are very strong and can handle high temperatures and different pH levels. They can be used to make tiny parts like nanowires, nanotubes, and quantum dots. The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), which has a tube-like shape, can be used as a model to create nanofibers and nanotubes. The virus's layers can help form crystals, which has been used to make gold and platinum nanotubes. Viruses can be coated with materials like silicon, PbS, and CdS to make them stable in different pH levels, which helps in carrying materials. A spherical plant virus called cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) changes shape when exposed to pH levels above 6.5, creating small openings that allow substances to pass through. This change can be used to control the deposit of minerals by adjusting the pH of a solution. This method could be used to make uniform quantum dot semiconductor nanoparticles, which is an alternative to current methods. These materials might also be used to deliver medicine to specific areas of the body by releasing contents when exposed to certain pH levels.
In 2025, researchers Yassir Turki and Kilzar Arian proposed the Multimimicry Regenerative Model (MRM) as a new framework inspired by biomimicry. The model combines six related areas—Biomimicry, Chemomimicry, Physicomimicry, Geomimicry, Cosmomimicry, and Semiomimicry—to describe how regenerative processes work in biological, chemical, physical, geological, cosmological, and semiotic systems. The MRM aims to provide a unified scientific and design approach for regenerative innovation.