Janine Benyus' 12 "Big Ideas" about Biomimicry (with links to things we've done on related topics), from her Poptech speech:

*Self assembly: water-based chemistry, designs which grow themselves; computers without carcinogens (from self-assembling silicates). Objects which fold themselves like proteins, self assembly from two dimensions to three. New ceramics

*Chemistry in Water: moving from inorganic solvents to water-based chemistry, such as the work of the Coates Lab and Cornell, making biodegreabable plastics out of CO2

*Solar Transformations: molecular-sized solar cells.

*The Power of Shape: the nautilus' logarithmic spiral is influencing the design of turbine and fan blades, which can be made 50% more efficient; design for disassembly (with, for instance, Van der Wahls forces); color without pigments (peacock feathers) and cleansing without detergents (Lotus leaf paint)

*Materials as systems.

*Natural Selection as an Innovation Engine: evolutionary design and genetic algorithms.

*Material Upcycling

*Ecosystems that Grow Food and Fertility: Prairie Farms and Living Machines

*Energy Saving Movement and Transport

*Resilience and Healing

*Sensing and Responding

mimic each other, dance in the streets Janine...

This election is one of the most important in our country's history. November second holds for every American great struggle and great emotion. We owe it to each other as one united body of people not to lock this emotion behind our front doors. Let the television into the public space, into the streets, the civic centers, out our front doors and mingle. Celebrate this day and make our voice heard. Let our music fill the air, and our dance move our bodies in our front yards and our streets. If Kerry wins, we dance in the streets, and if Bush wins, we dance in the streets. Never forget, We are United. Our expression is free. Together, may we provide the truth

Posted by: Tim Andonian on October 24, 2004 1:25 AM