Those who are inspired by a model other than Nature, a mistress above all masters, are laboring in vain. - Leonardo Da Vinci Biomimicry - The practice of developing sustainable human technologies inspired by nature. Sometimes called Biomimetics or Bionics, it's basically biologically inspired...
Steel is an ideal construction material—it is easy to shape, strong, and easy to manufacture. It can also be remelted and recycled, making it very “sustainable” and eco-friendly. However, like all metals it is prone to rust and corrosion, especially when it is exposed to the elements. To solve...
Genetic Algorithm: A heuristic search technique used in computing and Artificial Intelligence to find optimized solutions to search problems using techniques inspired by evolutionary biology: mutation, selection, reproduction [inheritance] and recombination. 1. Automotive DesignUsing Genetic...
Carnegie Mellon University was established in 1900 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as a small technical school. Today, Carnegie Mellon operates from a 140-acre campus three miles from downtown Pittsburgh. It also owns and maintains 81 buildings in the Oakland and Squirrel Hill...
Sodium is a mineral, and one of the ten most abundant minerals on Earth. Its chemical symbol is “Na” which is the abbreviation of natrium, a Latin word. It has the atomic number of 11. It was first isolated in 1807 by Sir Humphrey Davy, who “discovered” it when he ran an electric current through...
The 15 Coolest Cases of Biomimicry listed such great ideas as Velcro, Gecko Tape and Whalepower Wind Turbines to illustrate some applications of the developing engineering practice of designing sustainable human technologies inspired by nature. Here are some more examples coming out of the biomimetics...
Artificial intelligence has not yet reached a level that allows for a truly autonomous robot, but we have come far in the last 50 years. Robots are in use today, performing duties from vacuuming our floors to building cars, to fighting our wars for us. Only a handful of these machines possess any...
Real diamonds are mined; artificial diamonds, on the other hand, are manufactured in a laboratory by specially trained engineers. Many are worried about how artificial diamonds will affect the worldwide diamond industry, but consumers welcome their arrival as an affordable alternative. Artificial...
According to the science of biology, living things are differentiated from non-living things by their capacity to perform chemical reactions that help them survive. This can be found in even one-celled organisms, which—despite their very simple structures—can actually have hundreds of these reactions...
Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it” - William Pitt the Elder, British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778. Our nations’ leaders are supposed to be paragons of virtue and strength, ever striving to better the populace’s lot in life and aid their country’s economic,...
