MIMIC MAKERS

When problems arise in science or technology, nature often provides the solutions.

Nordstrom offers eight case studies as evidence. Among them are the observations of diving kingfishers that led Nakatsu Eiji to redesign the noses of the Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains for better aerodynamics, of serrated humpback whale fins that inspired Frank Fish to develop quieter wind turbine blades, and of tree leaves that led Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo to flexible, more-efficient solar cells. Other insights are derived from sources as diverse as Namibian beetles, shark skin, and gecko feet. Invention/inspirations are presented in four-page subsections, the invention presented in the first double-page spread, with its backstory explained economically but clearly in the second. The real inventors and fictional invention users populating Boston’s stylized, cleanly drawn illustrations, including one figure who uses a wheelchair, are likewise diverse in age, race, and gender presentation. The author brings her debut to a strong finish with an overview of the study of biomimicry and helpful suggestions for activities and further reading. Of particular note is the section that introduces each inventor (all of whom Nordstrom interviewed) with a photograph; when appropriate, the inventor’s surname is placed before their given name, along with a parenthetical explanation.

A salutary reminder to young naturalists and would-be Edisons that not all wheels need to be reinvented.