Page 30 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

breathe. At the same time, it protects
these warm-blooded mammals from
the cold waters of the ocean
depths. Another property of whale
blubber is that when metabolized,
it provides two to three times as
much energy as sugar or protein.
During a whale’s nonfeeding mi-
gration of thousands of kilometers,
when it is unable to find sufficient
food, it obtains the needed energy from
Whale blubber
this fat in its body.
Alongside this, whale blubber is a very flexible rubberlike material.
Every time it beats its tail in the water, the elastic recoil of blubber is com-
pressed and stretched. This not only provides the whale with extra speed,
but also allows a 20% energy saving on long journeys. With all these prop-
erties, whale blubber is regarded as a substance with the very widest
range of functions.
Whales have had their coating of blubber for thousands of years, yet
only recently has it been discovered to consist of a complex mesh of col-
lagen fibers. Scientists are still working to fully understand the functions
of this fat-composite mix, but they believe that it is yet another miracle
product that would have many useful applications if produced syntheti-
cally. 26

Mother-of-Pearl’s Special Damage-Limiting Structure
The nacre structure making up the inner layers of a mollusk shell has
been imitated in the development of materials for use in super-tough jet
engine blades. Some 95% of the mother-of-pearl consists of chalk, yet
thanks to its composite structure it is 3,000 times tougher than bulk chalk.

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