Everyday Products and Technologies Inspired By Nature and Movies

They used mussels as a blueprint to create an adhesive that stuck to surfaces ten times better than anything else on the market. Inspired by the mussels’ amino acid makeup, scientists engineered a biomimetic polymer. Who would have thought that these guys could be so influential? 

By 2009, almost every airport had full-body scanners. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, security measures for flying were significantly increased, and scanners had to be implemented to prevent something like that from happening again. Each unit costs around $170,000, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Camels recycle their own exhaled air at night: first by cooling it, and then absorbing it back once it’s mixed in with the atmosphere again. Researchers used this method to invent a water purification system that removes salt from saltwater to make it drinkable. This has helped everyone, from farmers to those who don’t have access to fresh water. 

After researching 12 different species of hummingbirds, researchers from Stanford found that the more prominent their wings were compared to their body gave the more power they had. This helped improved the agility of helicopters, and they continue to advance their technology based on extensive research. 

While it is not only visually similar, the B-2 Bomber was designed in a way to make it so fast and aerodynamic like the falcon. The drag was reduced, and it made the plane soar through the air seamlessly. These two are both masterpieces, one by nature and one by science. 

Digital billboards were first released in 2005, and they made advertisements much more exciting to look at. They also changed the visual landscapes of New York and other major cities. We wonder if any of the other Blade Runner technology predictions will come true.

Using research about elephant trunks, German scientists developed a bionic arm. Thanks to a company called Festo, people who need bionic limbs have benefited strongly from their products. However, we can’t forget to give credit to the ones who really made these bionic limbs possible, elephants. 

Based on research about their fur, engineers designed wetsuits with small, furry, rubbery pelts as otters have. The pelts trap pockets of warm air within the fur to maintain a sense of heat all the time. Now divers can explore colder waters thanks to our cute and cuddly furry friends. 

An Australian-based company called Euclideon made its own multi-user hologram table, allowing up to four users at a time. While there are still some things to smooth over, it is a massive step into the future and shows how movies can be so influential. 

An engineer at the company was bird-watching when he saw the kingfisher and found a way to fix the problem. He created a train model with a longer and sleeker front like the kingfisher’s beak, and the result was impressive. While exiting a tunnel, the air can easily move over the aerodynamic design and creates less noise. 

Bond’s Aston Martin is equipped with active camouflage made up of cameras to appear invisible. While the idea isn’t fully ironed out, there has been significant progress in the field. In 2010, an Israeli startup called Eltics made prototypes for active camo, and they look promising. 

The hoverboards we currently have might be a stepping stone to boards that fly. At the moment, we are stuck with these dangerous things that have been known to explode from time to time. While the technology is incredible, it is still strange to see people using these. 

A company called whale power learned that tubercles provide a 32 percent drag reduction and a 40 percent increase of attack with smooth flippers. This information helped improve the performance of propellers in airplanes, fans, and other wind-related tools. 

Self-driving cars have been in the works for over a decade now, and many companies are continuing to experiment with this technology. Through Tesla, we have seen that there are many kinks to work out, but it is incredible how automated everything is becoming. 

Mastral noticed that the burr’s toughness and the dog’s soft hair allowed them to stick together effortlessly. He took this idea and recreated it with rough cotton and smooth nylon and put them on a cloth with loops. The next thing he knew, he had created velcro, and the rest is history. 

Once Apple release Airpods, every company came out with their own versions, and the days of being tangled in wires were long gone. Each year, wireless earbuds continue to improve, and it’s not bad for such a small piece of technology. 

Scientists at Simon Fraser University created a program called NOTES to mimic the butterfly’s nanoscale light-interfering structures. They were able to take that technology and put it on the dollar bill, and it was practically invisible. Thanks to those beautiful creatures, counterfeiters have a much harder time scamming people. 

Spiders make their webs with ultraviolet silk, so scientists at Biomimicry 3.8 Institute decided to add an ultraviolet coating to their product. They called it ORNILUX Bird Protection Glass, and it protects our windows from our flying friends. 

In 1968, when 2001: A Space Odyssey showed the importance of video calls, people probably laughed at the idea. While the technology was already in the works that same year, it wouldn’t become commonplace until a few decades later. It was also mentioned in a few other movies like Back to the Future and Metropolis. 

MIT researchers decided to work on a drone that would fly and conserve energy like the albatross. They planned to create a fixed-wing drone, relying heavily on wind power. This technology would help drones fly longer without needing to be charged, and they can possibly fly overseas. 

It inspired researchers at Warwick University to create a molecular substance that would do precisely the same for blood bags that get conserved at blood banks. Blood bags are usually held on ice, and this special Polyvinyl alcohol can help prevent blood cells from freezing during transportation. 

If you fast forward 30 years, people in Silicon Valley could be seen sporting similar glasses that could relay voice commands, among other functions. Although the idea never fully took off, it was still an incredible advancement in technology. 

They ended up creating a three-pronged needle that vibrates slightly as it enters your skin like a mosquito does. Thanks to the deadliest insect in the world, the doctor’s office isn’t so frightening. 

Penn State University researchers discovered that LED lights by mimicking the asymmetrical microstructures created by fireflies. It improved the light distribution by 90 percent, and everyone can appreciate that level of improvement. Therefore, you can thank all those glowing fireflies for incredible lighting.  

Japanese scientists have been working on the technology since 2012 but have yet to bring the idea to the market. These materials could be effective for the military, but they still need more time to improve the RPT materials. 

It lets out 60,000 vibrations per second, and the film is highly intuitive and can sense objects from every angle. Between fire hydrants, trash cans, revolving doors, and anything else, the cane can help the blind like never before. 

These sharp scales help sharks get rid of any organisms that try to attach themselves to the shark’s skin. It wasn’t long before the US Navy picked up on this technology and created the Sharklet, an innovative material that prevented substantial marine growth. This has helped the ships become faster and more efficient. 

Introduced in 2002, these “robots” might not be alive like the ones in the movie, but they have been very useful tools. From the military to everyday life, this type of technology continues to grow and advance thanks to brilliant minds. 

The arduous and fibrous skin of the giraffe also helps with their blood circulation. The scientists replicated this as well to optimize the flow of their system even further. It was beneficial for hospitalized patients with leg ulcers and edema. 

Using what they knew about cat tongues, researchers invented a brush with the same microscopic curved spines known as papillae. The innovative brush didn’t look like a regular brush, but it was remarkable at cleaning cat hair. Instead of letting your bet get hairballs, this is the solution to that problem.

Drones similar to these have been around since the ’80s, but they became more widely used during the 2000s in the Iraq war. The drones continue to be valuable to armies all over the world, and by 2025, they will have an estimated market value of $26.8 billion. 

After conducting CT scans on woodpeckers at UC Berkley, researchers found that the inside of a woodpecker’s beak is filled with a spongy and cerebrospinal fluid, which helps them absorb the contact. They took that idea and transferred it to black boxes on airplanes. The black box records flight records, and because they are prone to shaking and pressure, it needs that shock absorption to protect it. 

Researchers found that cicada wings destroy bacteria instantly. It was the first-ever natural biomaterial discovered to do this, and scientists aimed to replicate it into technology that could be placed on surfaces around the city. From bus stops to subway stations, the world could be cleaner thanks to these bugs. 

However, by 1985, this idea was taken from the screen and implemented in hospitals. It wasn’t exactly like the movie depiction, but these days, surgeons use the help of robots in procedures all the time. This technology has saved many lives. 

The first robots were initially released in 1954, but the technology was nothing like it is today. Now, we have robots that are so life-like, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. It is no surprise that the market value for robot technology is so high. 

Scientists found that geckos have minuscule elastic hairs on their feet, which allows them to climb on this without falling. Engineers took this idea and implemented the concept into technology-based around suction cups.  They ended up making a product that US soldiers use to help them scale walls. 

While the idea is terrifying, especially after seeing Disney Channel’s Smarthouse, many of those smart devices are more useful than murderous. Between Amazon Echo’s and other unique gadgets, our homes will start doing all the work for us one day. 

For millions of years, the fish’s scales have evolved for the sole purpose of surviving attacks, and scientists took this idea to improve airplanes and unbreakable bodysuits. Next time you see one of these fish, thank them for their contribution to the modern world. 

Researchers found that ants and spiders trap pockets of air bubbles within a self-made underwater dome, which allows them to float. Using this idea, engineers from Rochester University designed a type of metal that traps air to make it virtually impossible to sink. 

Engineers have been fascinated by this ability, and they used what they learned from termites to improve ventilation systems. They placed a central hole in the middle of a system like termites do to provide cool air while conserving energy.