Biodiversity And Biomimicry: Pioneering Natural History Museum Exhibit In The Works

 BREWSTER – Big words can often imply big changes. Take “Biodiversity” and “Biomimicry” for example.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a scientist to understand all this.

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster has been heading in a groundbreaking direction — a program called biomimicry, the practice of emulating nature’s survival solutions to solve today’s human challenges. The museum currently offers several interactive biomimicry exhibits with hands-on activities for all ages, and a state-of-the-art biomimicry exhibit is now being developed with the assistance of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, a top science and technology museum in Portland, Ore., with expertise in the field. 

The biomimicry program comes under the museum arm of biodiversity. Biodiversity is short for biological diversity — the variety of all living things and their interactions. Species change over time as extinction occurs and new species evolve. Biomimicry, as defined by the Biomimicry Institute in Missoula, Mont., is a discipline that “learns from, and mimics, the strategies found in nature…It’s about valuing nature for what we can learn, not what we can extract, harvest, or domesticate. In the process, we learn about ourselves, our purpose, and our connection to each other and to the earth. Biomimicry can be used not only to learn from nature’s wisdom, but also to heal ourselves and the planet in this process.”

The museum’s new exhibit will offer a visionary look at the future of biomimicry, exploring emerging trends, such as the use of artificial intelligence to model natural processes, and the potential of addressing global challenges like climate change, resource scarcity, and urban expansion. Biomimicry research is leading to cutting-edge innovations and inventions worldwide.

Says museum president and executive director Robert Dwyer, “This exhibit will address how the rich variety of life forms in Massachusetts and beyond inspire viable innovations. We were captivated early on by just the simple beauty of nature. Now we’re coming to understand how that splendor can actually help solve sobering environmental challenges today and well into the future. Our goal at the museum is clear: to inform our visitors on how the wisdom of nature can safeguard a sustainable environment.” 

Adds museum trustee Ray Hebert, “No species is too small, too invisible, too insignificant, to be expendable. We have too much we don’t know about our critter neighbors that hold the keys to our comfort and survival. We have much to learn from the intricate, interwoven, tenuous thing we call life. Extinction is forever.”

The Governor’s Office has already seen the importance of biodiversity. Gov. Maura Healey recently signed into law an executive order to “recommend biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040 and 2050 and related strategies to meet those goals, including coastal and marine biodiversity conservation, and to halt and reverse the loss of the variety of species and habitats of Massachusetts.” 

Adds Dwyer, quoting from biomimicry research, “Glimpse into biomimicry’s potential and you will discover remarkable inventions: like the evolution of the bullet train in Japan, adorned with a sleek, beak-shaped nose akin to the kingfisher bird — significantly reducing noise, enhancing efficiency, and conserving energy. Similarly, wind turbines, modeled after the fluid dynamics of a whale’s fin, also improve efficiency, reduce noise, and propel advancements across diverse applications such as hydroelectric turbines, irrigation pumps, ventilation systems, and others. Then there’s the butterfly with wings so black that they have no reflection or glare. Scientists believe these wings could lead to ultra-black synthetic materials, more effective sunscreens, and new paints and textiles.”

Other examples, Dwyer notes: How oyster-inspired filtration systems are being used to filter microplastics from water; how studying termite mounds may lead to low energy solutions for high-rise building HVAC needs; how the study of wave devouring technology is inspired by whale tails, leading to advances in understanding the kinetic energy of waves to achieve ship propulsion without fuel; and how elephant trunks have led to what’s called soft robotics, creating solutions to help the disabled and to assist with heavy lifting.

One of the principal challenges facing Cape Cod today is erosion and rising sea levels. Dwyer points to a “shockingly” simple solution to combat coastal erosion researched at Northwestern University and published recently in Communications Earth and the Environment. “A new method developed by Northwestern University uses electrical currents to solidify marine sand, creating durable, rock-like structures that could replace costly traditional coastal defenses like sea walls,” the journal reports. “Researchers from Northwestern University have demonstrated that a zap of electricity can strengthen a marine coastline for generations, mitigating the rising threat of erosion in the face of rising sea levels and climate change.

“In their study, researchers took inspiration from clams, mussels, and other shell-dwelling sea life, which use dissolved minerals in seawater to build their shells. Similarly, the researchers leveraged the same naturally occurring dissolved minerals to form a natural cement between sea-soaked grains of sand. But instead of using metabolic energy like mollusks do, the researchers used electrical energy to spur the chemical reaction. In laboratory experiments, a mild electrical current instantaneously changed the structure of marine sand, transforming it into a rock-like, immovable solid. The researchers are hopeful this strategy could offer a lasting, inexpensive, and sustainable solution for strengthening global coastlines.”

The timing couldn’t be better. With a collective wringing of hands over sea level rise, devastating erosion, climate change, and the like, there’s hope now through biomimicry of a more sustainable planet.