Biomimicry
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Biomimicry
Nature inspired innovation
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Cloaked DNA Nanodevices Survive Pilot Mission

Cloaked DNA Nanodevices Survive Pilot Mission | Biomimicry | Scoop.it

"It's a familiar trope in science fiction: In enemy territory, activate your cloaking device. And real-world viruses use similar tactics to make themselves invisible to the immune system. Now scientists at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have mimicked these viral tactics to build the first DNA nanodevices that survive the body's immune defenses."

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“Molecular Velcro” May Lead to Cost-Effective Alternatives to Natural Antibodies

“Molecular Velcro” May Lead to Cost-Effective Alternatives to Natural Antibodies | Biomimicry | Scoop.it

"Taking inspiration from the human immune system, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have created a new material that can be programmed to identify an endless variety of molecules. The new material resembles tiny sheets of Velcro, each just one-hundred nanometers across. But instead of securing your sneakers, this molecular Velcro mimics the way natural antibodies recognize viruses and toxins, and could lead to a new class of biosensors."

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Antibacterial Power of Black Silicon

Antibacterial Power of Black Silicon | Biomimicry | Scoop.it

"Earlier this year, we reported about a finding which revealed that physical structure of Psaltoda claripenniscicada wings can shred certain types of rod-shaped bacteria. After analyzing the surface, researchers at the Swinburne University of Technology used biomimicry to create a surface with similar properties. This nanosurface could lead to development of a new generation of nanostructured antibacterial materials. 

“Based on this discovery, we investigated other insects that may possess similar surface architectures that might kill more bacteria, in particular the deadly strains of the Staphylococcus aureus or golden staph bacterium”, said Elena Ivanova, microbiology professor at the Swinburne University of Technology. Their search led them to the wings of the Diplacodes bipunctata (Wandering Percher dragonfly), whose spike-like nanostructure destroys both rod-shaped and spherical bacteria."


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