books

Science of Seeing: Essays on Nature from Zygote Quarterly

Availabie in paperbook and Kindle formats, and for Canadians at Amazon.ca.

Welcome to the first in a series of books that showcases writings from Zygote Quarterly magazine. The Science of Seeing collects firsthand reports from the field by ZQ columnist Adelheid Fischer. Whether tromping across the slopes of the Mount St. Helens volcano, bending into a listening crouch in the night-time desert, or peering into an ephemeral pool, Fischer compounds our awe for the natural world and deepens our admiration for the men and women who study it.

Structural Biomaterials: Third Edition (Julian Vincent)

From the website, which also includes a Table of Contents:

This is a thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded edition of a classic illustrated introduction to the structural materials in natural organisms and what we can learn from them to improve man-made technolog---from nanotechnology to textiles to architecture. Julian Vincent's book has long been recognized as a standard work on the engineering design of biomaterials and is used by undergraduates, graduates, researchers, and professionals studying biology, zoology, engineering, and biologically inspired design. This third edition incorporates new developments in the field, the most important of which have been at the molecular level. All of the illustrations have been redrawn, the references have been updated, and a new chapter on biomimetic design has been added.

Biomimetics in Architecture: Architecture of Life and Buildings

Gruber, Petra
1st Edition., 2011, 280 p. 466 illus., Softcover
ISBN: 978-3-7091-0331-9

Also available through Amazon.ca

From the Springer website:

  • Overview of the present state of research in the field of biomimetics in architecture
  • Shows the innovative potential of this relatively young scientific field
  • Case studies on vernacular architecture to space exploration

The purpose of investigating the areas common to architecture and biology is not to draw borders or make further distinctions, or even to declare architecture alive, but to clarify what is currently happening in the overlapping fields, and to investigate the emerging discipline of „biomimetics in architecture" [Architekturbionik].

Life in the Undergrowth

Author: David Attenborough (2005), Princeton University Press, New Jersey, USA

This is the Companion Book to the Animal Planet Program (Spring 2006).  It ia also available on Amazon.ca.

Invertebrates are the topic of this well illustrated book that can only lead to an increased respect (and awe) for insects.  The photos make it a page turner before even getting a chance to read the text.  If it's not in your nature to look at all the photos first, I  suggest that you do anyway, as well as turning to the evolutionary chart at the back of the book.  The chart shows the invasion of invertebrates from water to land to air.  This endlessly fascinating book is mostly about insects but it begins with the horseshoe crab to illustrate the evolution of invertebrates onto land.  The diverse strategies in each chapter are surprising; nature never ceases to amaze.  For example, the section on silk spinners goes far beyond spider webs to show the myriad ways insects use silk. 

Nature's Chemicals: The Natural Products that Shaped Our World

Author: Richard Firn (2010), Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK

Also available on Amazon.ca

A thorough and useful review of this book can be found in the Oxford Journal link. Each of the chapters is summarized. 

What Shape is a Snowflake? Magical Numbers in Nature

Author: Ian Stewart (2001), Wiedenfeld & Nicolson, Lewes, UK

Amazon has a number of reviews that provide a bit more information.  Also available on Amazon.ca.

A look at the table of contents and you'll quickly think of ways this book can be useful as a resource for understanding patterns in nature.  The book has three main sections, Principles & Patterns, the Mathematical World, Simplicity & Complexity.  The examples within each section are well illustrated to show the mathematics of patterns.  The book has very little on the actual math but explains the concepts by showing how they are applied in nature and why. 

Welcome to biomimetik.dk!

"Here you can read all about the new interdisciplinary area of science called biomimetics (or bionics/biomimecry). 
Biomimetics is about developing new technology inspired by nature. On this site you can, apart from news about research and new technological progress in the field, also read about the history behind biomimetics and the success stories so far.

Bulletproof Feathers: How Science Uses Nature's Secrets to Design Cutting-Edge Technology

Edited by Robert Allen (2010), The Ivy Press Limited, Lewes, UK.

Also available on Amazon.ca

This recently published book includes a wealth of natural strategies and shows how they are related to existing as well as future technologies.

  

Biologically Inspired Textiles - Using Nature to Create Better Textiles

Biologically inspired textiles from Woodhead Publishing is a pioneering new book that examines how biomimetics are being increasingly applied to textile technologies.

Human Health Depends on Biodiversity | Greenr - Accelerate the Change!

"One of the key things that attracted me to the field of biomimicry was that it showed in very clear terms the value of protecting biodiversity.

Variety isn’t just the spice of life…it’s essential for life."

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