Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Functionality

In a quest for technological breakthroughs, researchers often wade through a vast sea of theories, concepts, and events in search of the next big advancement. In this rapidly changing world, what people as well as engineers often fail to do is stop and smell the roses (or pause to look at the lizard). While humans often fancy themselves as smarter than the average bear, nature has been providing a world of innovation for thousands of years. A merger of nature and technology has led to biomimetic research that aims to provide sustainable solutions to problems by studying the patterns in the natural world.