The English philosopher, Sir Francis Bacon described science in his time as learning to “torture nature for her secrets.”
For centuries, human progress was marked by domination of the natural world, mining, and extracting and leaving piles of waste behind. The new scientific approach called biomimicry wants to stop the fight with nature, and instead look to plants and animals for answers. It’s more than back to the land, it’s an approach gathered from secrets revealed by the latest electron microscopes, looking at everything from the energy-storing power of duckweed, to the moisture wicking valves of a wet pine cone, to the supple strength of a spider’s web.
In this hour scientist and writer, Janine Benyus talks about finding her answers during a walk in the woods.
Guests:
Janine Benyus, biologist and author of “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.”