Fast and Flying
Japan's high-speed bullet train was redesigned to run quietly using the beak shape of this diving bird.
Kingfisher
Sticky hook-and-loop fasteners were invented after an engineer noticed prickly plant burrs clinging to his dog's what?
Fur
High-tech Olympic swimsuits and ship hulls were designed with tiny microscopic ridges mimicking this predator's skin.
Shark
Hexagonal storage containers and lightweight airplane walls are inspired by the wax combs built by these insects.
Honeybees (or bees)
Color-changing electronic screens and camouflage fabrics were inspired by the color-shifting skin cells of this famous reptile.
Chameleon
Airplane wings with upturned tips called winglets were inspired by the curved wingtips of large soaring what?
Birds (or eagles)
Climbing pads that stick to smooth glass without glue mimic microscopic hairs on the toes of this lizard.
Gecko
Submarines and boats navigate and detect underwater obstacles using sonar, inspired by echolocation in whales and these mammals.
Dolphins
Self-cooling buildings in Africa stay comfortable without air conditioning, copying the chimney mounds built by these insects.
Termites
Ultrasonic mobility canes for visually impaired people detect obstacles using the echolocation technique of these nocturnal flyers.
Bats
Modern aerodynamic wingsuits used by skydivers were directly inspired by the skin flaps of this gliding mammal.
Flying squirrel
Strong, lightweight body armor and ropes are being developed by trying to replicate this stretchy arachnid material.
Spider silk
Robotic gripping arms and suction cups were engineered by studying the flexible tentacles of this sea creature.
Octopus
Natural flood control barriers and stream restorations often copy the wooden river dams built by these rodents.
Beavers
High-efficiency thermal blankets and solar collectors trap heat using hollow, transparent fibers inspired by this Arctic animal's fur.
Polar bear
Bumpy wind turbine blades generate more electricity, copying the bumpy front flippers of this giant whale.
Humpback whale
Waterproof underwater surgical glue was developed by studying the sticky chemical threads used on rocks by these shellfish.
Mussels (or barnacles)
Glow-in-the-dark medical dyes and emergency glow sticks copy deep-sea creatures that make light through bio-what?
Bioluminescence
Delivery routing computer programs find the fastest route by copying how colonies of these tiny insects forage.
Ants
Anti-reflective coatings on smartphone screens and camera lenses were modeled after the glare-reducing eyes of this nocturnal insect.
Moth
Ultra-quiet drone and fan blades are modeled after the soft, sound-muffling wing feathers of this nocturnal bird.
Owl
Self-cleaning, water-repellent paints and fabrics mimic the micro-bumpy leaves of this floating aquatic flower.
Lotus flower (or lotus leaf)
Shock-absorbing materials for sports helmets were engineered based on the thick, impact-resistant skull of this bird.
Woodpecker
Lightweight, ultra-strong building beams are designed with hollow internal struts that copy the porous structure of bird what?
Bones
Sensitive vibration sensors in earthquake detectors mimic the fine leg hairs that alert these eight-legged creatures to movement.
Spiders