Who Knew?: The Wonders of Biomimicry

by Kathleen Madden

Overview

Sometimes nature is the world's greatest innovator.

From butterfly wings inspiring the development of mobile device displays to the shape of a kingfisher bird's body improving the design of Japan's bullet train, nature has been inspiring humans to build better and smarter for generations. Innovation based on observations of nature, plants, and animals is called biomimicry.

This introduction to fascinating topic of biomimicry is filled with stunning photographs and amazing facts to encourage engagement and spark curiosity in early readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780884489931
Publisher:	Tilbury House Publishers
Publication date:	10/15/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kathleen Madden is an author, educator, and member of the Biomimicry Institute which seeks to advance the adoption of nature-inspired strategies to help solve the most pressing problems of our time. Kathleen lives in New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

"Many books are available for introducing children to the concept of biomimicry, but this is a handsome one, and it's well-designed for classroom sharing."

Booklist Review - Who Knew?: The Wonders of Biomimicry

"Kathleen Madden marvelously introduces budding readers to the phenomenon of biomimicry...Readers are likely to take their time with each page, as there is so much to admire in every image. The Wonders of Biomimicry illustrates an underappreciated value of nature and teaches young audiences to acknowledge the importance of the world around them."

Who Knew?: The Wonders of Biomimicry - Shelf Awareness - Jen Forbus

2024-09-14
Nature is the ultimate inspiration.

Packed with 18 spreads of engineering marvels, this book offers a brief introduction to the world of biomimicry (defined here as “the design and creation of materials, buildings, and processes that are modeled on nature”). Madden covers the Japanese Rail’s bullet train (based on the kingfisher bird’s beak), a type of concrete inspired by coral reefs, and space-focused examples, such as the lower body negative pressure device, designed by mimicking the blood flow of the long-legged giraffe. Many readers will be surprised to learn that the tiny nanotubes found in an astronaut’s spacesuit were designed by engineers who found inspiration from the hollow hair follicles of a polar bear. The pages are vivid and engaging, full of brilliantly colored photos of plants and animals, from a close-up of a lobster that inspired an X-ray device to a vibrant image of a pink lotus leading to the development of self-cleaning fabrics. The insets of the engineering creations, however, are a bit small, with text that’s somewhat difficult to read. STEM enthusiasts may find themselves wanting more from the descriptions of some of the engineering products; on the whole, though, this is a fascinating introduction.

A simple yet intriguing look at nature-based engineering.(Informational picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews