Jeff Karp: From porcupine quills to surgical stitches (Image: John Soares)
Taking inspiration from nature seems very popular right now. Why is that?
Bio-inspiration is an idea that has been around a long time, but it’s only recently that we’ve seen tangible examples applied to everyday problems and actively shared by social media. Based on the super-hydrophobic properties of lotus leaves, surfaces have been developed that can repel water – and they may one day more effective or even unnecessary; tree frog toes have inspired ; and several research groups have to create…
