Biomimicry - Are we looking at Nature for solving manking problems !!!!!!!!!!
Biomimicry is the modern and often high technology equivalent of the historical practices of emulating nature. Nature provides us with everything: it gives us sunlight, allows us to use the energy we need, fits form to function , recycles everything, rewards cooperation and taps to power of limits. Biomimicry has been practiced for a millenia no, usually for agricultural purposes. Conventional plant and animal breeding push the boundaries of biomimicry. Biotechnology started by understanding the nature's way of doing things such as fermentation, which then led to vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Then came into scene, molecular biology and genetic engineering. Human has always been enquiring into how nature really works and how we can copy and assist it for our mutual benefits. This is referenced to as modern day biomimicry. The three fields, biomimicry, biotechnology and genetic engineering are a continuum rather than alternatives.
The idea of a biomimetic future holds promise. The pursuit of a genetically engineered future tells us that planetary limits could be extended but it is bound to have its own limitations.
Historically we have evolved slowly but now we must adapt and evolve quickly according to our environment and culture. That evolution may depend on our ability to collaborate with the nature. Whether it will be through mimicking nature or engineering things by controlling nature or a blend of both is a problematic issue.
Research in genetic engineering is limited to food, health and conservation biology. However the amount of investment into biomimicry is very little as compared to genetic engineering. Agriculture and health are the main considerations here.
Ecology and biomimetics are telling us that humans are a mature species behaving as pioneering and opportunistic species. Organisms in a mature ecosystem do the following: use waste as resource, diversify and cooperate, gather and use energy efficiently, optimise- rather than maximise, don’t draw down resources etc. Benyus has gives four steps towards a biomimetic future- quieting, listening, echoing and stewarding. Learning from nature and its lessons will require quietness and patience on our parts.
-Biotech Rings Magazine - Revised Article #2 1st edition
