Leonardo daVinci made sketches and notes of "flying machines" based on observations of bird flight.

Leonardo daVinci sketches flying machines

Gardener Joseph Moneir is inspired by the structure of scherenchymn fibers of decaying parts to solve the problem of constantly destroying pots. The solution was a system of wire mesh and concrete that was later recognized as reinforced concrete, patented, and used in today's construction.

Moneir invents reinforced concrete

The Wright brothers successfully designed a working airplane, inspired by the flight and movement of pigeons.

Wright brothers design airplane

Electrical engineer George deMestral was walking his dog one day when he noticed burrs clinging to his pants and dog, and observed the tiny hooks he'd found on the surface of burrs. He later developed a hook and loop fastener with an engagement side and a smooth side that we now call Velcro.

deMestral developed Velcro

American biophysicist and polymath Dr. Otto Schmitt developed the Schmitt Trigger by studying nerves in squid. He was trying to make something that replicated nerve propagation.

Dr. Schmitt developed Schmitt Trigger

 Botanist Wilhelm Barthlott studied the self-cleaning property of superhydrophobic micro-nanostructured surfaces on leaves. He developed a self-cleaning material referred to as the lotus effect.

Barthlott discovered the lotus effect

After Schmitt used "Biomimetics" as the title of one of his papers in 1969, the term became an official word in the Webster's Dictionary.

Schmitt coins the term "biomimetics"

Paleontologist Ernst Reif discovered that the surface of shark skin is made of small scales structured and aligned to reduce backlog in water. This concept was then used to design a more efficient and professional swimsuit, as well as faster boats and submarines.

Reif studied shark skin

Mick Pearce was looking for a design that fit Zimbabwe's tropical climate and at the same time was inspired by the surrounding nature. He studied the structure of termite mounds in southern Africa. Pearce designed a thermal regulating building, the Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe.

Pearce designed the Eastgate Centre

Geckos have stiff tendons attached to their toepads that enable geckos to cling to a wide variety of surfaces. Alfred Crosby and Duncan Irschick, scientists at UMass Amherst, invented an adhesive based off of gecko feet. Their product is called Geckskin.

Scientists Crosby and Irschick invent Geckskin

The MIT researchers who built a robotic cheetah have now trained it to see and jump over hurdles as it runs -- making this the first four-legged robot to run and jump over obstacles autonomously.

MIT researchers improved the robotic cheetah