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Bat perching upside down in a cave.
Some Bats Buzz Like Hornets to Deter Predators
The behavior is the first example of a mammal mimicking a more-dangerous species.
Some Bats Buzz Like Hornets to Deter Predators
Some Bats Buzz Like Hornets to Deter Predators

The behavior is the first example of a mammal mimicking a more-dangerous species.

The behavior is the first example of a mammal mimicking a more-dangerous species.

biomimicry

Snapshot of the repairing experiment on a human tooth
Image of the Day: Enamel Repair
Nicoletta Lanese | Sep 3, 2019 | 1 min read
Scientists engineered a new material that could be developed for use in treating tooth decay.
Eel-bot
The Scientist | Sep 26, 2018 | 1 min read
University of California, San Diego, graduate student Caleb Christianson explains the development of his eel-inspired robot.
Image of the Day: Cocoon
Sukanya Charuchandra | May 23, 2018 | 1 min read
Researchers have taken inspiration from wild silk moths to craft fibers that can transport images.
The Biggest DNA Origami Structures Yet
Abby Olena, PhD | Dec 6, 2017 | 3 min read
Three new strategies for using DNA to generate large, self-assembling shapes create everything from a nanoscale teddy bear to a nanoscale Mona Lisa.
Image of the Day: Deep Sea Fangs
The Scientist and The Scientist Staff | Dec 1, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists are taking a close look at fish skeletons for inspiration to solve engineering problems. 
Meet the Transgenic Silkworms That Are Spinning Out Spider Silk
Catherine Offord | Oct 1, 2017 | 5 min read
Researchers explore genetic engineering to produce super-tough fibers.
Will Komodo Dragons Yield the Next Blockbuster Antibiotic?
Jef Akst | May 1, 2017 | 4 min read
The giant lizards have numerous microbicidal compounds in their blood.
New Gecko-Inspired Adhesive
Jef Akst | Apr 6, 2016 | 2 min read
Flexible patches of silicone that stick to skin and conduct electricity could serve as the basis for a new, reusable electrode for medical applications.
Mimicry Muses
Mary Beth Aberlin | Aug 1, 2015 | 2 min read
The animal world is full of clever solutions to bioengineering challenges.
Inspired by Nature
Daniel Cossins | Aug 1, 2015 | 10+ min read
Researchers are borrowing designs from the natural world to advance biomedicine.
RoboSpleen
The Scientist | Jul 31, 2015 | 1 min read
Witness a bioinspired device developed by researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute to treat sepsis.
Mollusk Mockup
Molly Sharlach | Feb 1, 2015 | 3 min read
Researchers develop a “micro-scallop” meant to glide through biological fluids by opening and closing a pair of silicone shells.
Shell Games
Molly Sharlach | Jan 31, 2015 | 1 min read
See how scallop locomotion informed the design of a microscopic robot that could one day navigate our circulatory systems.
Sonic Experiment
Jef Akst | Jan 29, 2015 | 2 min read
An artist takes advantage of muscle-mimicking polymers to manipulate sounds.
Shrimp-Inspired Cancer Camera
Bob Grant | Oct 6, 2014 | 2 min read
Researchers have developed a tumor imaging device based upon the visual system of a crustacean.
Squid-Inspired Electric Elastomer
Jyoti Madhusoodanan | Sep 17, 2014 | 1 min read
Polymer changes color and texture in response to remote signals. 
Obscured Like an Octopus
Jyoti Madhusoodanan | Aug 20, 2014 | 2 min read
Cephalopod skin inspires engineers to design sheets of adaptive camouflage sensors. 
Organelle Architecture
Mary Beth Aberlin | Dec 1, 2013 | 3 min read
There’s beauty in a cell’s marriage of structure and function.
Flu Fights Dirty
Hayley Dunning | Sep 1, 2012 | 2 min read
Mimicking a host-cell histone protein offers flu a sneaky tactic to suppress immune response.
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