These are a collection of resources (YouTube videos, journal, and news articles, books, and online tools) for bio-inspired design that I’ve come across over the years. Some are just great inspiration for successful bio-inspired design, others are tools that can help you better implement your own bio-inspiration! A lot of these resources are also covered in my Bio-Inspired Engineering Design class (Texas A&M MEEN 440/696).

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“Asking Nature for Inspiration” Jacquelyn Nagel, TEDxCharleston (2022)

“The world is poorly designed. But copying nature helps.” Vox (2017)

“Using Biological Inspiration to Guide the Design of Human Networks for Resilience” | Astrid Layton, Climate Resilience Academy, University of Miami (2022)

“What is Biomimicry?” Fast Company (2011) Speaker Janine Benyus

“Plant-animal mutualistic networks: the architecture of biodiversity – Jordi Bascompte” | Instituto de Física Interdisciplinar y Sistemas Complejos (IFISC) (2016)

“Bio-Inspiration: Nature as Muse | KQED QUEST” KQED (2008)

“What Can a Humpback Whale Teach a Wind Turbine? | Think Like a Tree” WIRED (2015)

“Say Goodbye to Synthetic Sunscreens: How Chemicals in Our Eyes Are Revolutionizing Sunblock” | Biomimicry Institute (2023)

“The Promise of Biomimicry” Biomimicry Institute (2020)

“Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in action” TED (2009)

“The Innovators Using Nature’s Design Principles to Create Green Tech” Bloomberg (2016)

“Natural Velcro” New Atlantis WILD (2015)

“Why Don’t Ants Get Stuck In Traffic?” It’s Okay To Be Smart PBS (2016)

“The bizarre physics of fire ants” Vox (2017)

“See How Termites Inspired a Building That Can Cool Itself | Decoder” National Geographic (2018)

“Why Does Everyone Hate Pigeons?” It’s Okay To Be Smart PBS (2016)

“Why Nature Loves Hexagons” It’s Okay To Be Smart PBS (2017)

“Rolling Salamanders & Caterpillars – Weird Nature – BBC animals” BBC Studios (2009)

“Feedback loops: How nature gets its rhythms – Anje-Margriet Neutel” TED-Ed (2014)

“Shellfish Inspire UC Berkeley Scientists To Develop A New Surgical Glue” KPIX CBS SF Bay Area (2016)

“Submarines learning from tiny jellyfish” Cosmos Magazine (2015)

“Dead stuff: The secret ingredient in our food chain – John C. Moore” TED-Ed (2014)

“Network Earth” Popular Science (2016)

“Mercedes-Benz “Chicken” MAGIC BODY CONTROL TV commercial” (2013)

“Kingfishers head remains still while body moves during its hunt for prey.” BBC (2018)

“BBC Home Making: Weaver Bird” BBC (2009)

“Sounds of Survival” bioGraphic (2018)

“Why is Blue So Rare in Nature?” (2018)

“Stöckli ski Technology Turtle Shell ACL” (2020)

“Earwigs and the Art of Origami” (2018)

“OWL BIOMIMICRY: The Evolution & Emulation of Silence” (2017)

“The brilliance of bioluminescence – Leslie Kenna” (2013)

“Hidden miracles of the natural world” – Louie Schwartzberg (2014)

“Why Spider Silk is Stronger Than Steel” | Real Science (2022)

“Emperor Penguins Speed Launch Out of the Water” | National Geographic (2012)

“Why beavers matter as the planet heats up” | Vox (2022)

“Unlocking the Power of Natural Wood: The Next Generation of Ultralight, High-Performance Materials” | Biomimicry Institute (2023)

“Bio-Inspired Clothing Technology: How Insects Inspire Better Waterproof, Breathable Sportswear” | Biomimicry Institute (2023)

“More Efficient Wind Turbines Inspired by Owls and Maple Seeds” | Biomimicry Institute (2023)

“A Cleaner World, Inspired By Our Own Livers: Non-toxic Industrial Cleaning Solution of the Future” | Biomimicry Institute (2023)

“Jellyfish predate dinosaurs. How have they survived so long?” – David Gruber | TED-Ed (2017)