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Humpback whales control movement of prey by blowing spiraling nets of bubbles underwater.

The tail fluke of the humpback whale breaks through the water as the tail is moved up and down, enabling powerful swimming.

The flippers of the humpback whale channel flow and increase aerodynamic efficiency due to tubercles or bumps.

Baleen whales use fringed sheets of keratin to strain food from water before they swallow.

Baleen in throat of bowhead whale traps prey by tangling fringed edges together.

Veins and arteries of Cuvier's beaked whales manage heat through different configurations of counter-current heat exchangers.

The blood vessel network in the tongues of gray whales precools blood to avoid heat loss via counter-current heat exchange.

The skin of pilot whales resists microorganisms thanks to microscopic pores and nanoridges, surrounded by a secreted enzymatic gel which denatures proteins and carbohydrates.

Lungs of whales efficiently expel air via powerful exhalations.

Killer whales use vocal learning to adopt vocalization patterns of neighboring species.

Dolphins send out broadband whistles and bursts of clicks to prevent messages from being distorted underwater.

New generations of bottlenose dolphins adapt to changing situations by learning from peers and not just mothers.

High resolution biosonar of dolphins, bats and mole rats gives an accurate imaging by using real-time data processing.

Chirps of dolphins carry through water because they are multi-rate, ultra-short wave forms.

The blubber of the bottlenose dolphin absorbs heat by acting as a phase change material

The body of the dolphin has low friction in water by having an optimal length to diameter ratio.

Whales navigate with incredible accuracy underwater using Earth's magnetic fields.

The teeth of nurse sharks are always sharp and effective because new rows of teeth develop constantly to replace older, worn down teeth.

Some marine animals sense bioelectric fields using gel-filled pores that electrically connect external fields to internal nerve cells.

The skin of the blacktip reef shark enables it to locate prey via a gel that detects thermoelectric signals.

The scales of shark skin may influence attachment of fouling microorganisms via shape and surface topography.

Scales on sharks influence drag and thrust during swimming by manipulating fluid flow next to the body.

Sharks are efficient swimmers in part due to their complex hydroskeleton.

The bodies of shortfin mako sharks and some tuna are designed for fast, efficient swimming thanks to internalized red muscle associated with a force-transmission system.

Tails of sharks and sturgeons keep these heavy-bodied animals from sinking because they are assymetrical and produce an upward-directed torque.

Tail of a shark creates double jets by actively changing the tail's rigidity in mid swing.

The protein, Pif, secreted by pearl oysters contributes to the strength and shape of the shell due to key amino acids that guide mineral crystal growth.

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

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

Polyaspartate is a biopolymer in oysters that stops growth of shells by inhibiting growth of excess calcium carbonate.

Plates in nacre increase toughness by interlocking

Layers of weak and stretchy organic material between brittle mineral layers in nacre make the whole composite tough by managing cracks.

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

Byssal threads of marine mussels form quickly via liquid crystal phase proteins.

Byssus threads of the green mussel attach to a wet, solid surface due to glycosylated hydroxytryptophan in one of its adhesive proteins.

The byssal threads of mussels display both hardness and extensibility thanks to sacrificial cross-links in the outer cuticle.

The byssus threads of mollusks are strong anchors that can resist hydrodynamic forces because of mechanically distinct regions within each thread.

A ligament in bivalve mollusks can reopen closed shells due to the presence of abductin, an elastic protein.

The siphuncle of nautiloids controls buoyancy by active transport of ions and osmosis between the siphuncle and shell chamber.

As its body grows, a nautilus closes off the smaller shell space with a wall, creating a chamber that it uses to help control buoyancy.

The shell of the conch survives compression and three-point bending due to lath-like aragonite crystals that form a microlayer.

Giant clams can digest some of the algae they host, if they become too abundant, by manipulating the makeup of their internal fluid.

The mantle of a giant clam focuses sunlight for the algae it hosts using transparent patches.

The gills of fish remove oxygen from water with extreme efficiency because water flows countercurrent to capillary blood flow.

A rush of water enhances forcefulness of nature’s super-soaker.

The gills of spotted green pufferfish maintain a constant level of cellular salinity in both freshwater and marine environments due to specialized cells equipped with two ion channels that secrete or absorb ions depending on need.

The shape of the boxfish controls water flow around the body to influence stability and maneuverability.

The undulating fin of the knifefish enables it to swim forward and backward, as well as keep it afloat, by creating propulsive water jets.

Undulations of the tail and dorsal fins of the African freshwater electric eel allow for smooth bidirectional movement through the water.

Electric organs of certain fish generate electricity using additive energy from stacked cells to generate a current.

Electric organs of Amazon electric eels help them to navigate as well as detect and stun prey.

Skin of fish reduces drag by being covered by a slime layer of complex proteins, polysaccharides, and bacteria.

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

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

Fish move synchronously in shoal by reacting dynamically to the nearest neighbor fish.

Fish use their fins to control braking, stability, and thrust to increase maneuverability.

Buttresses of the red mangrove enable growth in thin soils by efficiently increasing footprint

Roots of red mangrove forests protect coastal shorelines by absorbing energy from waves.

Several species of epiphytes, ants, fungi, and butterflies in mangrove forests provide benefits to each other through mutualism.

The leaves of some mangroves regulate salt concentrations by accumulating excess salt in special compartments within their cells.

Mangrove glands use active transport to concentrate and excrete harmful ions.

Mangroves transfer oxygen to surrounding anoxic soil via specialized aerial roots called pneumatophores.

Some species of mangrove seedlings enhance their chances of survival due to several characteristics: sharp spikes stick in the ground, photosynthesizing stem, and adaptations for both salty and fresh water.

Leaves of mangroves minimize heat gain, enhance cooling, minimize water loss, and maximize photosynthesis by optimizing tilt angles and leaf size.

Mangrove forests successfully compete for resources by exhibiting both r-selected (pioneer) and K-selected (competitive) attributes.

Aerenchyma and corkwarts in leaves of mangrove provide Knudsen internal airflow through heated air pressurization to aerate anoxic roots.

Underwater roots of mangroves move air via changes in gas pressure.

Aerial roots of mangroves take in air through pores (lenticels) and pass it to hypoxic roots via aerating tissue (aerenchyma).

Seeds of mangroves find optimal conditions by reacting to time passage and light conditions.

Enzymes produced by a marine fungus found on mangroves can "bleach" wood pulp by catalyzing the break down of lignin.

The shape of the kingfisher beak allows it to dive into the water without splashing.

Feathers of the common kingfisher create colorful feathers due to pigment granules, spongy nanostructures, and thin films.

Red droplets in the cone cells of kingfisher eyes may allow sight through water or glare by acting as chromatic filters.

Reef corals extract nutrients from the algae they host by secreting a digestive solution that causes the algal walls to leak.

Reef corals optimize the amount of light available to the algae they host by branching in patterns similar to those found in plants.

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

A network of refugia makes the Great Barrier Reef more resilient to injury by providing emergency resources for restoring damaged areas

Fluorescent proteins in some corals may play a role in the host stress response by acting as antioxidants.

Biopolymer composites in the exterior shell of the black coral are strong and hard due to weakly bonded chitin strands with strongly crosslinked proteins.

The calcium carbonate exoskeletons of corals may help protect their photosynthetic symbionts by absorbing UV rays.

Honeybees collaborate when foraging, selecting a new hive through knowledge sharing.

Honeybees generate heat to mold cylindrical wax cells, then surface tension pulls the cooling wax into hexagons.

Honeybees cool the hive by collecting water, spreading it, and fanning to increase evaporation.

Honeybees in a colony select a new hive location via quorum.

The antennae of the honeybee enable smooth landings by sensing landing distance and angle, signaling the body to orient appropriately.

The antennae of a bee allows it to sense a variety of signals including chemicals, light, vibrations, and electric fields. 

The bee's complex wing positions create steady and unsteady lift forces.

Flight muscles of the western honey bee warm the brood nest by contracting without wing movement and transferring heat to brood cells.

Bees detoxify pesticides using special electron-stripping enzymes

Honeybees in a colony regulate hive temperature due to diverse response thresholds.

Immunocompetence of honeybees is maintained with a diverse diet.

Honeybees select natural sugars and reject substitutes based on an extreme sensitivity to taste.

Abdomen of honey reduces drag during flight by being raised to increase streamlining.

The abdomens of honeybees may be able to detect magnetic fields and use them in navigation thanks to magnetite.

The broad leaf of a tree resists gravitational loading through its internal anisotropic structure: liquid-filled cells along the bottom resist compression, and, along the top, long cells with lengthwise fibers resist tension.

Nanocrystals isolated from cellulose are strong, flexible, and lightweight

The trunks of trees reduce their tendency to bend in the wind due to their torsional flexibility.

The leaves of acacia trees protect from being eaten by producing a cyanogenic poison.

Seeds of Acacia trees survive attacks by parasitic beetles by attracting herbivores whose digestive juices kill the parasites' larvae.

The structure of umbrella thorn trees preserves soil moisture by having a high proportion above-ground woody mass and low amount of foliage.

The interaction of two disturbances—bison grazing patterns and fire—increases biodiversity by creating a heterogeneous patchwork of plant communities in grasslands.

The species diversity of grazers and plants helps maintain grasslands by offering a menu of plants of different palatabilities.

Diverse plant species in prairie grasslands support a long-term, stable ecosystem because they exhibit complementary functionality.

Grasses and trees in the Transvaal savanna coexist by tapping different parts of the soil for water.

Body of the dung beetle reduces soil ahesion via non-smooth surface morphology.

Dung beetles play an important role in nutrient cycling and soil generation because they feed on and bury feces.

The surface of the desert scorpion resists erosion by sand due to bumps and grooves that decrease flow.

The exoskeleton of the desert scorpion resists wear due to multiple coupling effects of surface morphology, material, and flexibility.

Neurotoxins in scorpion venom incapacitate prey by interfering with the transmission of impulses in neurons.

The spines of hedgehogs function as shock-absorbers during falls thanks to their honeycomb-like core and longitudinal stiffening.

Wings of morpho butterflies create color by causing light waves to diffract and interfere.

Wings of the butterfly Argyrophorus argenteus creates silver color via sub-micron thick scales that scatter light and create a range of periodicities parallel to the scale surface.

Scales on the ventral side of swordtail butterfly wings enhance blue/green coloring via light reflection and diffusion.

High surface-area wing texture of Morpho butterfly sheds water and dirt via hydrophobic microstructure.

The feet of butterflies taste sweetness using extremely sensitive taste hairs.

The proboscis of the butterfly unwinds from a tightly coiled position via muscular contraction and a hydraulic, step-wise mechanism.

The wings of a clearwing butterfly provide camouflage because they lack scales, allowing whatever background the butterfly has landed on to show through its wings.

The wings of the cabbage butterfly are white due to longitudinal ridges and cross-ribs studded with ovoid beads.

Microscopic scales provide lift to nature’s “flying flowers.”

The digestive system of Monarch butterflies protects them from poisonous milkweed latex eaten to make themselves poisonous to predators.

The wing scales of a green birdwing butterfly help regulate body heat by using a honeycomb structure to enhance black pigments found in the wings.

Monarch butterflies infected with parasites capable of infecting their offspring avoid transmission by selectively laying their eggs on plants containing therapeutic remedies.

The mating apparatus of male butterflies prevents other males from mating with a female by producing a chemical plug.

Wings of African swallowtail butterflies have brilliant colors thanks to a combination of nanoscale structures and pigments.

Clicking noises released by the tiger moth interfere with predatory bat sonar signals by distorting the echo signature.

The cuticular structures on the surface of the proboscis of a butterfly form a sealed coil against the head of the insect by interlocking in various directions.

The antennae of the Indian luna moth detects a single sex pheromone molecule from more than six miles away due to extremely sensitive olfactory receptors.

Eyes of nocturnal moths are anti-reflective due to nanoscale protrusions.

The eyes of moths and flies reduce adhesion by corneal gratings that decrease the contact area.

Moth antennae sense specific airborne molecules in minute concentrations.

The antennae of silkworm moths increase sensitivity to odors because the shape and structure of sensillae direct air flow through them.

The antennae of male silk moths distribute chemicals by having an oily coating that serves a dual purpose by binding to lipid-loving female pheromones and transporting them to nerve cells.

The body of the mother-of-pearl moth caterpillar escapes predators by anchoring its tail, recoiling, and rolling backwards.

A rigid plate below moth wings detects movements of predatory bats by acting as a microphone device.

The scales on moth wings help camouflage them from predatory bats because their uneven shape prevents the bats' sonar from detecting them clearly.

Some male moths have no mouthparts in order to conserve energy because their exclusive concern is mating.

The wings of butterflies and moths help them escape spider webs and other predators because they have scales that easily detach.

Moths detect bat calls and avoid predation using sudden drops and weaving flight patterns.

Fungal root-rot renews mountain hemlock forests by causing nitrogen release.

Boreal forested peatland captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it long-term through delayed decomposition of plants.

Forest canopies create microclimates where tens of thousands of other plant species grow.

Western hemlock-Sitka spruce forests maintain diversity partly thanks to wind disturbance patterns.

Forests and other ecosystems can return to their predisturbance composition and struture through the presence of biological legacies, mobile links, and support areas.

Trees in cloud forests cope with the dry season by absorbing water from clouds directly through their leaves.

The pit-and-mound surface microtopography of the forest floor in Douglas fir forests helps create and maintain diversity by creating microhabitats.

Tall, wide trees in the forests of the Pacific Northwest serve as nurse logs to their seedlings after they fall, providing decades of water and nutrients as they slowly decay.

Trees in Douglas fir forests provide growing conditions for plants and animals by stabilizing soil and trapping sediment when they fall across a slope.

A slight rise in humidity triggers pine cones to curl up their scales to prevent ineffective seed dispersal in wet weather.

Roots of jack pines distribute limited resources by forming underground connections between trees.

The cuticular wax of the dwarf mountain pine enhances photosynthesis by using fluorophores that convert UV light into blue light that can be used for photosynthesis, even under low-light conditions.

Trunks and branches of trees withstand external stresses through load-adaptive growth.

The trunks of pine trees withstands wind and snow via spiral growth.

Air-filled sacs in the pollen grains of pine trees allow pollen to travel farther through the air

Roots of longleaf pine protect from strong winds by forming both large anchoring taproots and a widespread lateral root system.

Resin produced by conifer trees protects from mechanical or insect damage because it flows, then hardens to seal the wound site.

Branching design lessens chances of trees breaking by structurally reducing wind stress.

Chromophores in cuticular wax of the dwarf mountain pine protect it from harmful UV by absorbing the most harmful UV-B and UV-A without lowering the received photosynthetically active radiation.

Bristlecone pines can survive for thousands of years in harsh environments by shutting down non-essential processes.

Cells and cellulose microfibers of woody plants provide tensile strength due to their position of long axes parallel to the direction of the tensile force.

Wood of trees resists crosswise fracture via complex architecture.

The cell walls of wood in trees self-assemble through structural features, not biochemistry.

The trunks of trees reduce their tendency to bend in the wind due to their torsional flexibility.

Knotholes in wood do not crack because the fibers around them are continuous.

Deciduous trees allow more water to reach the soil and seep into streams by seasonally shedding leaves that lose water via evaporation.

Trees gain support by growing together in an upward spiral.

Ant colonies distribute food effectively and safely after famine using a decentralized response to quickly spread food. 

Red harvester ant colonies speed information flow by varying levels of connectivity.

Colonies of South American grass-cutting ants maintain temperature and humidity via a thatched nest and systematic arrangement of nest material.

Colonies of social insects self-organize and carry out complex group tasks through many simple individual interactions.

Communication behaviors in Temnothorax ants are resilient because they have evolved as anytime algorithms.

Temnothorax ants adjust to colony growth or diminution by shedding and reconstructing their nests.

Army ants move efficiently in large numbers by maintaining three lanes of traffic; two outer lanes travel opposite the inner lane and are governed by behavioral differences related to possession of food.

Foragers of leafcutter ant colonies respond to the speed and efficiency of other ants by varying leaf loads in size and weight.

Antennal contact behavior of harvester ants communicates food availability through feedback based on rate of coming and going.

Ants use chemical signals to control aphid dispersal and collect their honeydew for food.

The hair of the Saharan silver ant keeps it cool by efficiently reflecting light and heat energy while also dissipating excess heat.

Air scoops on the sides of ants cool them through evaporation.

Foraging members of Pharaoh ant colonies guide fellow foragers away from unrewarding routes via a repellent pheromone.

The tongue of ants protracts using elastic mechanisms.

Feet of the tokay gecko use atomic forces to stick to surfaces, but stay clean by flinging contaminants off toes.

The tail of the tokay gecko instantly breaks off during a predator attack with the help of pre-formed lines of weakness.

The pupil of nocturnal geckos enables clear vision in extreme light conditions by becoming very large at night and constricting to a thin slit with several pinholes during the day.

The below-ground mounds of Odontotermes termites strongly influence savanna productivity via ordered spatial distribution and modification of soil composition.

Mounds of compass termites provide heating and cooling at appropriate times of day thanks to orientation with respect to the sun.

Mounds of West African termites are built to shed water via mushroom-like shape.

The structure of above-ground macrotermite mounds facilitates gas exchange in the below-ground nest using internal air currents driven by solar heat.

Mounds of Macrotermes termites accumulate calcium carbonate.

The mounds created by some termites increase diversity in wetlands because they form 'islands,' supporting trees and other species during the wet season.

The nests of termites gain structural support for chambers, ventilation shafts, and insulating cavities because arches are the main architectural element.

Colonies of social insects self-organize and carry out complex group tasks through many simple individual interactions.

Members of termite colonies transfer immunity among colony members via a sort of social vaccination.

Odor-binding proteins on the antennae of dampwood termites mediate the transport of odoriferous chemicals to the olfactory nerves by encapsulating the hydrophobic scent chemicals in a water soluble coating.

Guts of termites digest cellulose via microbial symbionts.

The gut bacteria of soil-feeding termites help make soil nitrogen available to plants and protect from ammonia toxicity via ammonia volatilization and mineralization.

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

Darkling beetle wing covers and body postures help condense water from humid air.

A sugar-based polymer produced by an Alaskan darkling beetle keeps cell contents from freezing in extreme cold temperatures by attaching to the cell membrane.

Trenches created by the flying saucer trench beetle collect water because the edges are above the sand surface and perpendicular to fog-bearing wind.

Wings of darkling beetles lock to prevent lateral movement due to interlocking hairs on the forewing surface and the body.

Carapace of beetle appears multihued because of ultrathin layers in a corkscrew orientation.

The forewings of jewel scarabs produce gold and silver by having 70 layers of chitin that become progressively thinner with depth resulting in different refractive indices.

The body surfaces of jewel beetles and other beetles create colors by reflecting lights at different wavelengths.

Sensilla in the infrared sensory organ of the Melanophila acuminata beetle detect fire by a structure of lipids channeling photons to a protein region highly sensitive to hydrogen resonance.

The vision of jewel scarab beetles allows them to find each other while evading enemies thanks to the detection of circularly polarized light.

The combustion chamber of the bombardier beetle ejects scalding liquid by having a heart-shaped, long, narrow ejection tube.

The wings of beetles are folded and stored under fore-wings and deploy for flight thanks to sprung wing joints.

Elytra of beetles maintain integrity of their two layers by transforming forces through connecting bio-nails.

Wings of beetles fold multiple times without wear or fatigue by having resilin in key joints.

The scales of the Phoruris firefly emit more light because misfit between scales increases the number of visible light beams.

The common eastern firefly produces light through a chemical reaction that energizes a molecule so it can release a photon.

Nanostructures on the cuticle of the firefly's abdomen help transmit bioluminescent light efficiently because they perfectly match the wavelength of light being emitted.

Leg hairs of orb-weaver spiders allow it to build its web without getting stuck.

The Eurasian diving bell spider uses silk and goo to make an airy home for itself beneath the surface of a pond.

The legs of spiders move using a combination of the hydraulic pressure of body fluid and muscle flex.

Web glue of orb-weaver spiders is elastic and sticky when wet because of moisture-absorbing salts.

The web glue that coats silk threads of orb weaving spider webs has incredible adhesive strength thanks to glycoproteins.

Glue droplets on orb-weaver spider webs resist slippage through adhesion, elongation under load, and force transfer due to granules.

Suctorial organs at the tips of special appendages on camel spiders serve multiple adhesive functions, including prey capture, via dry adhesion.

Tiny leg hairs help spiders sense subtle air movement by conducting it directly to nerve cells.

The legs of spiders are protected from depressurization when damaged via a joint sealing mechanism.

Webs of araneid spiders absorb impacts via microscopic engineering.

The webs of some spiders trick and catch prey via UV-colored silk.

Spiders travel thousands of miles through the air using their silk to ride electrostatic repulsion instead of the wind.

The structure of special silk from cribellate spiders continuously pulls and transports water from the air. 

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

Webs of orb spiders are elastic and strong because of sacrificial bonds that break and then reform

Silk of the Darwin's bark spider is twice as strong as other spider silk due to extreme extensibility combined with high strength.

Dragline silk fibers in spider webs help maintain web tension under weight by contracting and relaxing in response to humidity.

Individual spiders are able to use silk for a variety of tasks by varying the properties of the silks they produce.

Threads that make up the orb-web of the cross spider experience deformation when a positively charged insect enters the neutral or negative field through electrostatic attraction.

Decorations contrast with natural backgrounds to warn birds against flying into spider webs.

The strong, hooked beaks of eagles hold squirming prey thanks to the sharp, pointed tip.

The eyes of a kestrel remain fixed on an object due to the bird’s ability to use reflexes to rapidly reposition its eyes and head with respect to its body.

Wings of gliding birds increase aerodynamic performance by continuously changing shape and size.

Bird bones aid in attaining flight because they are thin and dense, not because they are lightweight.

Feather filaments of birds connect with interlocking hooks, forming a seamless and resilient structure that maintains aerodynamic efficiency and insulation, showcasing nature's engineering prowess and inspiring human innovations in textiles, aerospace, and everyday materials.

Wingtip feathers in birds are aerodynamically efficient because of their torsional flexibility.

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

The nasal surfaces of camels help conserve water by using hygroscopic properties to remove water from air during exhalation.

The red blood cells of the dromedary camel protect it from dehydration because the oval-shaped cells can circulate even in thick blood and can significantly expand during rehydration.

Thermoregulation in African camels appears to be related to water availability.

The roots of desert plants extract hard to remove water from soil using negative pressure.

Mycorrhizal network sustains diversity in a forest by transporting nutrients and water.

The cooling effects of shade trees in subtropical regions are most influenced by foliage density and leaf thickness, leaf texture, and leaf color lightness.

The large trunk and thick outer bark allow baobab trees to grow tall while resisting buckling.

A diverse community of organisms interacts to break down and recycle chemicals to maintain soil fertility.