Biologically inspired materials could revolutionize materials science. People looking at spider silk and abalone shells are looking for new ways to make materials better, cheaper, and with less toxic byproducts.
Janine BenyusRead
In reality, we haven't escaped the gravity of life at all. We are still beholden to ecological laws, the same as any other life-form.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes our interconnectedness with nature and the fundamental ecological laws that govern all life forms.
Janine Benyus highlights the idea that, despite human advancements and perceptions of control over nature, we are still subject to the same ecological laws as every other living organism. This serves as a reminder that our survival and well-being are intricately linked to the health of our environment, urging us to recognize and respect these natural principles.
Themes
GravityLifeEcologyNatureInterconnectedness
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on environmental conservation, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of respecting natural laws.
More from Janine Benyus
All quotes βEveryone is trying to jump on the biomimic bandwagon. But a cork floor is not biomimicry. Neither is using bacteria to clean water.
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For a long time we have thought we were better than the living world, and now some of us tend to think we are worse, that everything we touch turns to soot. But neither perspective is healthy. We have to remember how it feels to have equal standing in the world, to be "between the mountain and the ant . . . part and parcel of creations," as the Iroquois traditionalist Oren Lyons says.
Janine BenyusRead
The truth is, natural organisms have managed to do everything we want to do without guzzling fossil fuels, polluting the planet or mortgaging the future.
Janine BenyusRead
Biomimicry is basically taking a design challenge and then finding an ecosystem that's already solved that challenge, and literally trying to emulate what you learn.
Janine BenyusRead
Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. In a society accustomed to dominating or 'improving' nature, this respectful imitation is a radically new approach, a revolution really. Unlike the Industrial Revolution, the Biomimicry Revolution introduces an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her.
Janine BenyusRead
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