AskNature

Insects use an alternating pattern of searches and surges to make sense of an inconsistent trail.

Macro‑scale geometry directs where water condenses and frost forms.

Immune systems constantly monitor threats, but respond in force when there are signs of cell death

Cicada wings’ intricate nanostructure helps them shed water, dirt, and bacteria and reflects light to avoid detection by predators.

Many animals use a phenomenon known as thanatosis or tonic immobility as a last resort to appear dead and avoid being killed by predators.

By making their hairs stand up, numbats expose more skin to the sun and create an insulating layer of air to reduce heat loss.

Maggots scrape dead tissue with mouth hooks then spew a stew of enzymes to liquefy, swallow, and digest it.

Alkaloid molecules protect plants from bacterial infections.

Corals lay down proteins in an organized way to create a scaffold for minerals that produce rock‑hard reefs

Camel fur and sweat glands combine to form a powerful temperature management system.

Diatoms build strong, intricate cases using proteins to arrange minerals.

Bacteria and fungi break down soft plant tissue and leave the tough stuff intact.

Chemicals in fungi break down contaminants.

Fungi create a strong but lightweight material by producing a random network of tiny threads.

Spiders turn liquid into a strong, stretchy fiber by squeezing it through a small space that helps protein molecules to connect with each other.

Mussel byssal threads attach to wet rocks using adhesive proteins that first prime their surfaces and then chemically bind to them.

Uneven, complex oyster reefs create protective crevices where calm waters allow larvae to attach and thrive.

Aquaporin molecules form a channel that allows water to move across cell membranes

Randomly arranged filaments scatter all wavelengths of light, and their optimized spacing maximizes the effect.

Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy that plants use to make glucose so they can grow.

Three muscle fiber patterns inside trunks work together to provide the strength, support, and resistance needed to bend and twist with extreme agility.

Popping cress’s fruit pods are complexly designed to explode open and disperse their seeds far and wide.

Inherent plasticity and microfracture toughening mechanisms work together to prevent antlers from breaking. 

The shape of scales causes water flow to streak across fish skin, reducing turbulence and minimizing drag.

The ears of otters protect from water via ear‑flaps.

Teeth of sea otters resist damage due to 'stress shielding' by neighbors, prism interweaving (decussation), and self‑healing.

Otters and seals have a two‑layer fur system that prevents water penetration and creates an insulating layer.

Beaver dams change stream flows and create a patchwork of habitat diversity.

The teeth of rodents self‑sharpen because their inner surface is softer than the outer enamel and wears away faster to create a sharp edge.

Blades of bull kelp balance drag reduction and sunlight exposure in different flow environments via changes in width and flatness.

Pigment molecules in plants absorb and transfer solar energy using a special arrangement that funnels light toward a reaction center.

Pigments in the oriental hornet’s cuticle absorb solar energy that is turned into electrical energy.

Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy that plants use to make glucose so they can grow.

Leaves of olive trees optimize sunlight harvesting by differing in shape and being flexible to changing conditions

Hydrogen‑oxidizing bacteria metabolize hydrogen from their environment to use as energy

Halobacteria produce chemical energy by capturing light energy with rhodopsin pigments and using it to pump protons out of the cell, setting up a proton gradient used to generate ATP.

Blubber between the porpoise's dorsal fin and tail flukes decreases amount of metabolic energy needed to swim because it is crosshatched with elastic fibers.

The body of rainbow trout decreases energy required for swimming by interacting with vortices in its fluid environment.

The seed heads of sunflowers optimize the packing of seeds by growing florets in a spiraling pattern connected to the golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence.

Iguanas repeatedly deplete and then regrow bone during and following times of food stress.

Chemicals in fungi break down contaminants.

Camel fur and sweat glands combine to form a powerful temperature management system.

Nanopillar cones covering cicada wings bond with bacterial membranes, stretching the portion between the cones to the point of rupturing.

The appendage of the mantis shrimp strikes with a tremendous amount of force enhanced by cavitation bubbles.

Oysters build strong but flexible reefs using minerals in a sticky protein web.

Three muscle fiber patterns inside trunks work together to provide the strength, support, and resistance needed to bend and twist with extreme agility.

Randomly arranged filaments scatter all wavelengths of light, and their optimized spacing maximizes the effect.

The shell of a tortoise withstands pressure through interlocking scutes of various shapes consisting of both rigid and flexible layers.