This 6-minute video features interviews with Janine Benyus, Jeff Karp, and Alexis Noel discussing what we can learn from frog saliva, porcupine quills, slugs, and more.
Objectives
- Students will learn what biomimicry is.
- Students will learn about several biomimetic products inspired by living organisms.
- Students will learn the value of being curious and following up that curiosity with further observation and research.
This 2019 video from CBS News has an interview with Janine Benyus, the biologist and author who popularized the term “biomimicry”. It also includes interviews with several scientists who are looking at the amazing qualities of frog saliva, porcupine quills, slugs, and other creatures that have inspired new technologies. It’s available with closed captioning and a transcript.
This video is short, making it a good one to spark students’ interest in and connect the field to real-world careers. The choice of organisms familiar to many students also encourages them to look for design inspiration in their local environment.
Visit the CBS News website to view the video and read the transcript from this segment, which aired on March 31, 2019.
