Page 122 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

To catch its prey, the king-
fisher dives from low-resis-
tance air into high-resis-
tance water. Just as the
bird’s beak facilitates such a
dive, it also prevents its
body from harm. But the
kingfisher still needs to be
able to see its prey as it
dives into the water. God
has created the bird with a
protective mechanism to
protect its eyes without hin-
dering its ability to see and
seize its prey underwater.
When one bears in mind the
fact that underwater objects
appear to be somewhere
else than where they really
are when one looks at them
from above the water, the
importance of this becomes
even clearer.

changes in the resistance like a train does when it enters a tunnel.
Accordingly, a train traveling at 300 kmph (186 mph) needs to have

a forefront shape like a kingfisher’s beak, which facilitates the bird’s div-
ing.
Studies conducted by the Japanese Railway Technical Research
Institute and the University of Kyushu revealed that the ideal shape to
suppress tunnel micro-pressure waves was a shape of revolving parabo-
loid or a wedge. A close-up cross-section of a kingfisher’s upper and low-

er beak form precisely this shape. 82 The kingfisher is yet another example
of how all living things are created with exactly what they need to sur-
vive—and whose designs can serve as models for human beings.

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