How and why are you reading these words right now? Chances are it’s because you’ve been brought to this webpage through hardware and computer algorithms that are today part and parcel of modern life. But what you might not know is that these extremely advanced technologies are in no small part inspired by solutions lifted straight from the natural world. Take—as just one example—the smartphone you might be reading this on; its colourful display has been inspired by the light-reflecting properties of butterfly wings, thus saving on battery life.
It’s fair to say nature is a pretty inventive force. Driven onward by the wheels of adaption, survival and reproduction, evolution has created some of the most intricate mechanisms on the planet—not least the vast and immutable complexity of us humans and our hefty-sized brains. But of course nature’s creativity doesn’t just end with butterflies and us: from the amazing biomechanics of migration, to the energy gathering secrets of photosynthesis, there are simply hundreds of ideas we’ve nicked straight from the natural world for our own benefit.
So to celebrate the incredible ingenuity of Planet Earth, we’ve picked out a few of our best tech-led titles from our on demand documentary streaming service for you. So why not dive into the complexities of nature like never before with the following shows:
Nature Tech: The Magic of Motion
Welcome to the world of biomimicry, where engineers interpret the world of animal locomotion and apply the principals of movement to the human experience. From Leonardo DaVinci to the latest robotic engineers, see how animals inspire the state-of-the-art bionics being used to solve life’s greatest challenges.
Nature Tech: Energy is the Key
Join scientists in the search for green energy and learn how these critical thinkers are striving to utilise the principals of photosynthesis — the process by which plants convert sunlight into usable chemical energy — in the next generation of eco-friendly vehicles.
Nature Tech: The Material World
Like the humble burr, which served as the impetus for the creation of Velcro, nature has always inspired design. Discover how today’s molecular analysis of nature’s oddest substances will become the basis for tomorrow’s highly sophisticated products.
Cosmic Journeys: The Incredible Journey of Apollo 12*
It was a journey that could have been a catastrophe. Over forty-five years ago, the crew of the Apollo 12 mission narrowly avoided disaster and successfully landed on the moon to gather crucial scientific proof of the moon’s origins.
*We had to add this one to the mix because whilst not explicitly nature-inspired, if ever there was an example of just how far we’ve pushed the envelope of exploration through technology, the Moon missions are perhaps humankind’s most standout symbols of such achievement.
Want to see these shows? Simply sign up for a free 30-day trial of Love Nature and watch the best documentaries on the net, via a technologically-led streaming service you know is inspired by nature.