Ever get tired of ripped clothing? I know I do.

That favorite shirt just got a hole in it, and now it’s time to throw it away. Maybe those favorite blue jeans ripped while you were playing outside or got snagged on a corner while walking by something. It’s all very frustrating because that piece of clothing will never be the same with that hole.

What if we could figure out a way to have our clothes “self heal?” We wouldn’t have to spend so much money on buying new clothes every time a piece of clothing hits the trash due to a rip.

We could apply this to the human body. Think about it, our body heals as we sleep. When we break a bone, sure it takes some support, but over time it does heal. When the human body “breaks down,” our body gets right to work at healing those parts.

If we could somehow get enough information on how the body heals itself then we could apply a similar technique to our clothes.

images from:

http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/it/its2/kathy/thehumanbody/index.htm

http://www.thetaoofmakingmoney.com/category/frugality

Think about this, we spend so much money on new clothes and waste a lot of water doing laundry. What if we had a solution where we only had one article of clothing. I know, that sounds disgusting and boring. But by taking the intelligence of the octopus, we could use its ability to change its skin to use as camouflage and turn it into an new fashion statement that helps to save the earth. This clothing would morph into what ever the consumer wanted, all they would have to do is think about it and the clothing would instantly change. This item could also cut down on using water by taking the non-stick surface of the lotus leaf, this way you wouldn't have to do laundry.

Biomimicry: Green Mean Clean Filter Machine

When I think about living in the city and see all the cars that drive in it, I find it crazy how much pollution is distributed into the air each day. According to American Heart Association, they state that large cities could lose between 1.8 and 3.1 years of life because of exposure to chronic air pollution, which causes health issues with the heart and lungs.

Then one day while I was stuck in rush-hour traffic I had an idea: What if vehicles were built with custom air filter systems? Just like how a fish swims around under the water, the water filters through their gills. I think that because vehicles put out so much exhaust, made of harmful chemicals, it should have a way to dilute or cancel out that exhaust.

Here are some examples of what I have explained. Vehicles could be designed with filter systems in which air goes through the front and filter though the "gills" to clean the pollutants out of the air. This could be an innovative and cool way of customizing vehicles as well as being earth friendly. :)

P.S., my brother thought of the idea of having vehicles run off of water (H2O), which we have an ample supply of. As steam engine trains were once run from burning wood and creating steam, vehicles now could be designed to run off of steam. This would be earth friendly as it isn't putting pollutants in the air.

Rachael Henn

A Breath of Fresh Water

The marine sponge is one of the oldest multicelluar animal, with an incredibly simple design. Its hollow body is lined with cells that bear flagallae, whose motion keeps water circulating so that the sponge can be supplied with constant food particles. This is called filter feeding. Sponges grow attached to the floor, lack central nervous systems, and act more like plants than animals... which is probably why we don't feel too bad about using their bodies as shower lufas and boat deck scrubbers.

one particularly adorable sea sponge enjoying a meal (Canada, east coast)

As I tried to think of an example of biomimicry, I noticed how clean and clear the water in my fish tank is. It's only a 10-gallon, so without my filter it wouldn't take long to get dirty. The filter is comprised of a tube that vacuums water up and through a charcoal cartridge, and the strained water falls back into the tank.  While there aren't any oil spills or toxic chemicals drifting about in my apartment that I'm aware of, my fish are healthy because of the filter system. The impurities that would be harmful are collected in the cartridge yet the tank retains and builds onto its own miniature ecosystem of algae (which keeps the snail happy) and the fish's thin surrounding layers that protect them from illness. Oh, and I'm able to actually see my fish. Yeah filters!

the new super species of marine sponge could come in a variety of colors and shapes, just like normal marine sponges

What if you took what we know about the sea sponge and what we know about the cleanliness of our oceans? I'm purposing genetically modifying a type of sponge to produce a super species that is capable of breaking down hydrocarbons and using them for energy. In a way, the harmful products in the oceans that are life-threatening to every other animal could be a food source for this new sponge. After the sponge has proven to be self-sufficient and thriving on a toxic food source, this kind would be introduced to the problem areas under the sea: dirty harbors, suffering coral reefs, and oil spills. Because sponges reproduce by budding, it wouldn't need constant upkeep or human involvement beyond introduction. Let's assume the sponges thrive off garbage, chemicals, and oil. If they run out of these things and die off, their job is done. They'll have served their lives as beautiful accents to the ocean floor while improving the environment for the underwater world.

Ashley Overholser

Tomorrow: Popular Front, Biomimicry Update, never eat old condiments, midterms and vote

Hello Everyone.

1)  Tomorrow I will meet you at Popular Front:   12:30 (section C)  3:25 (section B)
http://www.popularfront.com/
Popular Front

555 First Ave. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

phone: 612-362-0900

(My Cell - 612-26-6105)


2)  For those of you who have posted your biomimicry examples - these are some of the best posts yet!  Don't worry if you haven't gotten yours posted yet - you have time because I just made it part of this week's homework as well. 

Choose a problem you'd like to solve, and find or imagine an example of biomimicry as the solution.

thank you to section B for letting me finish the lecture (in the dark).
For those of you needing a re-view, you can find the lecture on the blog:
http://oad-fall2010-sectb-and-c-allan.blogspot.com/2010/10/slide-lecture-given-about-biomimicry.html

Links and resources are listed on the last slide, but here they are as hyperlinks
and some new ones:

New:
Bee's are faster than super computers -->   http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-10/bees-beat-computers-ability-solve-complex-math-problem
Design bloom has a few articles on this -->  http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/biomimicry.html

and blog listed:  (not including the sites listed under the images)
•   Janine Benyus shares nature’s designs  (ted talk)
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/janine_benyus_shares_nature_s_designs.html

•  Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in action
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action.html

•  Biomimicry Institute:  http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/

•  Ask Nature   http://www.asknature.org/

•  People’s ideas and inventions (list of articles) – posted by readers :  http://en.wordpress.com/tag/biomimicry-ecology/

•  Robert Full on engineering and evolution
http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_full_on_engineering_and_evolution.html

•What Business Can Learn About Sustainability from Sea-Monkeys  By Marc Gunther  October 20, 2010
https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/10/20/what-business-can-learn-about-sustainability-sea-monkeys?page=0%2C1

• INSITUTE FOR GREEN CHEMISTRY:  http://www.warnerbabcock.com/
•
•New sensor derived from frogs may help fight bacteria and save wildlife   - -Sensor uses frog peptides to test for drug and medical device contamination  (Oct. 19, 2010)   Chris Emery   cemery@princeton.edu
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/pues-nsd101910.php

•  15 of the “coolest” examples of Biomimicry:  http://brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicry/

•  Biomimicry   http://rachellaing.blogspot.com/2010/02/biomimicry.html

•  What it Biomimicry:  http://www.utopiacrowd.com/2009/01/18/what-is-biomimicry/

•  http://www.interfaceglobal.com/Sustainability/What-is-Sustainability-/Learn-More.aspx?cat=Design_Architecture

•  Biomimicry Architecture:  http://langlor.com/blog/biomimicry-architecture/

•  Pistol Shrimp:  http://pistolshrimp.wordpress.com/category/ideas/page/5/

3.  I'll be sending you the homework later tonight, and have your grades to you  - between tonight an wed morning. 
Later than i wanted to  - but it's in progress. 
I did something really dumb - if mustard doesn't smell right, don't eat it.  I feel really ill  :(  regardless, i will be there tomorrow for our new adventure!  (though, i might still be a little green)  I've been out for the count for the past few hours  - after 8 or so.    Rule of thumb - if it's been in the fridge for over 2 months, get rid of it.  Botcholism is no body's friend.
I do believe I mentioned to at least one group what a great idea it would be with "timed degridation"  that the container would start to decompose - or give you warning when the contents started to become "something new" / bacteria........ Perfect example as of why.
 
see - this looks like normal mustard, but inside lurks something sinister.


4.  Another fun topic  - Voting!  this is probably your first election, and a great time to get your first ballot under your belt.  If you're concerned about the cost of education, the arts, government policies that affect the people - here's your chance to take a stand.  If you don't vote, you can't complain.

Many of my students as first time voters have questions - such as - "Who do i vote for?"
you can use this link to help you:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/select_a_candidate/

how about 'where do i go to vote?" - the league of women voters can help you, and help you see the ballot before you get to the polls
http://www.lwv.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_Local_League&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=56&ContentID=5150



take care and see you tomorrow!
-Abbi

biomimicry

If I happened to be made king of the world some day, I would fly all the awesome people to the moon and start a new world in which we use only use biomimicry technology. We would use ant inspired housing using only moon rocks to form our giant house. This ant inspired technology would allow us to regulate temperatures as well as keep the moon’s natural materials. Bioluminescence (like fireflies) would be used to light our homes. Exercise would be required on a regular basis, not only to stay in shape but also to power our home. We would have to import water and all of our food would have to be brought in from earth, but we would keep it organic. It would also help with the simulated atmosphere we would need in order to stay alive, as well as with power much like the soil lamp but on a much larger scale. Along with having a symbiotic relationship with our plants, we would also depend on many animals to help with chores and stuff but we would probably eat them too. Everything we produce will be put to use, and nothing goes to waste. This allows us to keep our home healthy and not wasteful in order to keep our new home safe and last longer, as well as keep the moon as close to the way we found it as we can. So far I have supplied my moon kingdom with a mock atmosphere for breathing, food to eat, water to drink, people for sex, a home to sleep in and be homeostatically satisfied, and our waste can be used for fertilization and such. I have successfully supplied my new kingdom with all the basic human needs, that means my moon-home is sure to be successful.

you're welcome.




http://athousandgreatideas.wordpress.com/category/biomimicry-ecology/page/2/

http://www.smiling-africansun.com/images/namibia/ant_hill_namibia_l.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCRqbf6GPQUt5Li3GdQF5pXrRoJAQj5gxjmRweu1epdnR1p_N4xbqUXnQ9CqDyXMDA0K-8aBkEPWOgxdUjvgvyUUV38qukh6NT-kPgeUvRAHUNatp7Sozu2zBrIg9tQgAZNh55y4z62Fc/s1600/Dalek+RTD.jpg

http://talkingtails.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/800px-maslows_hierarchy_of_needssvg.png

Biomimicry

Alternative ways to store food-
Some ants create giant ant hills where the ants regulate the temperature of the ant hill. The ants move little pieces of the structure to regulate the air flow, during the day it stays cool and during the night the air stays at a reasonable temperature. When it comes to inventing new things based on nature, we can use this method of creating the perfect temperature in a structure without electricity. If people could master this method we could keep food cold for a long time without an energy supply. This would be helpful in many ways i.e. bringing food to Africa, and keeping heat and cooling bills down. It would be really cool. hooray!
-MADELINE MURNION

BTW this is NOAH CHRISTOPHERSON'S (down here)
Shark skin is not only used for speed but repels bacteria as well. Since they are already using shark skin in the medical field, why not use it in everyday life? As humans we are susceptible to germs and bacteria, especially in social enviornments i.e. night clubs or bars. Now, imagine, your favorite night club, the girls are dressed... well barely... and the guys are out to get after it. Not exactly the cleanest of the environments we could expose our bodies to is it? The bass is bumping and your bodies are grinding, sweat is dripping down your back and you stop for a second and just think about the viral plague that could be flowing between your bodies. Disgusting, right? Now think of having the latest line of my awesome shark skin club wear and intimates. Keeps you free of bacteria while the Dirty John behind you is dancing like there is no tomorrow, all while looking "supa fresh" (as the young kids say these days). Think of how we could avoid passing even the common cold around if we wore clothing made of sharkskin which repels bacteria and keeps you clean. We could avoid spreading unnecessary illness and disease if we took these simple precautions before going out for a night of good "clean" dance-filled fun! How enjoyable, right? You'll love it, and I'll make millions. Just consider it!

-NC