Technology decides who’s greater among humans. Whoever has the most modern and the most advance technology usually prides themselves among other humans. What we do not know it that most modern technologies were ripped from animals, they have been using it since the dawn of time. Here are several examples of our precious technology ripped from animals:
Sharks: Antibacterial Surfaces
Image via Popular Wealth
Aside from their notoriety, sharks are actually among the cleanest creatures in the sea. This is all thanks to a distinct pattern on their skin that fends off against any bacterial buildup, causing them to have a squeaky clean exterior.
Image via Sharklet
The good folks over at Sharklet took notice of this and applied this knowledge into designing a new surface pattern for basically anything that you wouldn’t want to accumulate bacteria on. Perfect for frequent contact areas, Sharklet drastically lessens bacteria buildup, creating a cleaner, healthier environment.
Kingfisher: Bullet Train Aerodynamics
Image via Wikipedia Commons
Ah, the Japanese. For a culture that spawns the most seemingly laid-back people, they sure do like their machines superfast: fast computers, fast cars, fast trains. Known for giving us the ‘Bullet Train”, the Japanese have stepped things up a notch by borrowing designs from one of nature’s cutest predators, the Kingfisher bird.
Image via Preachrr
Famous for diving in and out of the water with nary a splash in sight, the Kingfisher became the model for West Japan Railway Company. By copying the Kingfisher’s bill for the train’s nose, they were able to create a highly aerodynamic train that eliminates “tunnel booming” by efficiently parting the air. Genius.
Cuttlefish: Pixel Displays
Image via Explorer World
The ocean is full of creatures that to us surface-dwellers appear rather…alien-like. Case in point: the oh-so-tasty cuttlefish. Cuttlefish are known for their delicately chewy meat similar to its cousin the squid, what most people often overlook, however, is the fact that cuttlefish are among the best creatures when it comes to camouflage.
The cuttlefish has what can only be explained as a series of muscles that function as a sort of flatscreen TV around its body that changes color and pattern actively according to the cuttlefish’s surroundings. Not to say that the cuttlefish inspired flatscree TVs, but the technology is so similar that some guys from MIT had already developed designs for more eco-friendly TV screens based on cuttlefish tech.
Horntail Wasp: Zero-Gravity Drill
Image via What’s That Bug?
Wasps are always freaky, and the horntail wasp is no exception. with a name like that, you just know you better watch out. The hortnail got its name from its distinct tail design, which the horntail uses to drill into trees to lay eggs. What sets itself apart from other drill technology is that the horntail can drill at any angle it wishes to do so, whereas most of our ground drilling technology utilizes gravity.
Image via Science Museum
The people from NASA used this idea to chalk up a design for drilling in outer space. The result is a drill that is perfectly suited for space exploration missions as it does not rely on gravity to be able to drill. Chalk another one up for nature’s designs for this one.
Sea Sponge: Cheaper Solar Panels
Image via Eco Geek
As we mentioned above with the cuttlefish, the ocean is filled with strange creatures. The sea sponge is one of them, with its brainless existence and the sole task of harvesting silicone from the waters to build filaments for its own body.
This tech was discovered by the science industry and utilized to create cheaper solar panel alternatives. American scientists have been developing a method of synthesizing solar panels through a method similar to the sea sponge. Scientists took the humble sponge and replaced sea water with aqueous zinc nitrate and then replaced silicatein with ammonia, which causes the zinc nitrate to break into crystalline zine oxide. Crystalline zine oxide is the main component to building a solar panel. Scientists are hopeful that this will greatly decrease the costs of solar panel production, making solar energy more affordable for many.