Janine Benyus on Biomimicry in Design on TH Radio (Part One) : TreeHugger.
The first interview describes the AskNature.org project, a portal that allows non-biologists to access solutions in the nature world by their function, rather than through the more traditional biological classification systems. Janine describes the wealth of examples and applications already in the database, from dye-sensitized solar cells inspired by photosynthesis to potential replacements for platinum in fuel cells inspired by the the enzyme hydrogenase found in cyanobacteria.
Janine goes on to describe how biomimicry can be of value to everyone, not just engineers and inventors. The deep patterns described by the Life's Principles, such as cooperation, modularity and diversity have diversity have universal value.
The interview closes with the Innovation for Conservation project, a way for companies who have benefited from biomimicry to donate a percentage of the proceeds back to nature, as a way of saying 'Thanks!' and helping to preserve the source of the idea.
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