Inspired by Nature
The Wright brothers were the inventors of a flying machine that changed the world in 1903. Their invention, along with many others, was inspired by what group of animals?
Birds
For 7,000 years, people have been making this product from the skin of animals. It has remained popular throughout time and culture because of its strength, comfort, and longevity.
Leather
Frogs, seals, fish, and ducks have this adaptation. Ben Franklin first designed these for humans to use underwater.
Swim fins
Between the ages of 12 and 15, this young French inventor created the six-dot cell code that is still used today.
Louis Braille
It has been a constant struggle for man to walk through deep snow. Early natives looked to this large animal when inventing the first snowshoe.
Polar Bear
This product was invented in China over 1,900 years ago from pulped plant fibers of wood and cotton. Today it is used in every culture and in your classroom every day.
Paper
People have invented a way to keep their most valuable asset safe when participating in dangerous activities such as football and bike riding. But nature beat us to it. Many animals such as the woodpecker and the ram have this invention build right in.
Helmet
This American inventor holds 1,093 U.S. patents. He was one of many to work with the idea of the light bulb, and was the first to invent an incandescent bulb that could be mass produced.
Thomas Edison
In 1948, George De Mestral was inspired to create Velcro while cleaning off his pants and dog after a hike through the woods. It took almost 10 years to duplicate this sticky baby.
Burr
Discovered by Alexander Fleming, this medicine used to treat bacterial infections is naturally produced in mold.
Penicillin
The first manufactured glass was in Mesopotamia and Egypt about 3500 BC. But the earth had been making glass long before people. These two substances are all that is needed.
Sand and extreme heat
This famous Iowa State University graduate, faculty member, and inventor had many names… The Plant Doctor and The Peanut Man are clues for you.
George "Washington" Carver
This invention reshaped the West. Inspired by a not so friendly flora three men devised a way to help ranchers contain their livestock by imitating the Osage orange tree with metal.
Barbed wire
This product has been re-invented by many different people throughout history. To create this ancient cleaner, you must have a chemical reaction between animal fat and lye.
Soap
This fastener was invented to replace tedious laces and buttons in 1913. It wasn’t until much later, that scientists realized that nature had already created this amazing tool in bird feathers.
Zipper
Born in Massachusetts, this H.S. HomeEc. teacher and hospital dietitian left education to open the Toll House Inn. It was here that she invented the cookie that would be loved for over a century.
Ruth Wakefield
By studying how humpback whales can so easily move and turn in the water, the inventors of this electricity producer were able to copy the fins of the whale to make the blades move easier in the air.
Wind turbine/windmill
This product contains over 30-40 different natural materials taken from around 40 different countries. Although this invention has become essential to most people’s lives, our current consumption of nature’s resources may make this product disappear.
Smartphone
The synthetic stone, cubic zirconia, was first made by people in 1976 because of its low cost, durability, and close resemblance to this nature made gem symbolizing love and commitment.
Diamonds
This German film star fled to the U.S. during WWII. With the help of composer George Antheil, they invented a system in 1942 that was the foundation for GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth today.
Hedy Lamarr