Headlines

Genius of Biome Report

What can we learn from nature’s 3.8 billion years of experience?

HOK partnered with Biomimicry 3.8 to study how lessons from the temperate broadleaf forest biome, which houses many of the world’s largest population centers, can inform the design of the built environment. The result, Genius of Biome, is a highly visual report filled with insightful design strategies and sketches, application ideas and supporting research.

Learn How Nature Can Inform the Built Environment with Thomas Knittel

Birds, insects, trees, and animals in our environment face the same climate and conditions we do, and they have learned not only how to survive but also to thrive. These organisms and their ecosystems can teach us how to create not just sustainable, LEED buildings, but restorative developments that provide the same level of oxygen, water filtration, and soil fertility, as the original habitat. We call these natural lessons the Genius of Place and Genius of Biome.

Neri Oxman, One of FastCo’s 100 Most Creative in Business, to Keynote Biomimicry Conference

We are pleased to announce that Neri Oxman, an architect, designer, and assistant professor at the MIT Media Lab, will serve as one of the keynotes at the Biomimicry Education Summit and Global Conference, June 21-23, at UMass Boston.

Biomimicry Professional program alumni reflections

The globally renowned Biomimicry Professional (BProfessional) Certification Program is a part-time, two-year, master’s level course designed to empower change-agents whom are passionate about a world mentored by life’s genius. The Biomimicry Professional 2013-2015 cohort begins September 1, 2013 and completes October 1, 2015.

Fish Gill-Inspired Design Wins First Prize in Biomimicry Design Competition

Inspired by fish gills, newt tadpoles, and human arteries, a team of civil engineering graduate students from the University of Toronto developed a design that could increase water delivery efficiency, decrease water-borne illness, and lower wastewater operating costs.

Dayna Baumeister Speaks to Sold Out Crowd at Autodesk Gallery

Nearly 400 people gathered at Autodesk's Gallery on February 7 in San Francisco, CA, to learn more about the oldest and most respected designer in the world: nature!

Global Biomimicry Network Gathers in Austin

Last month, leaders from the twelve most established regional biomimicry networks met in Austin, Texas for a weekend of planning, collaboration, and—of course—networking.

Three New Faculty Join Biomimicry Fellows Program

In December the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute warmly welcomed three new Biomimicry Fellows from the faculty of the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY).

Educator’s Workshop Offered This Summer on Thompson Island, Boston

This summer, learn about biomimicry and how to teach it on Thompson Island, within the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.

New Nature Inspired Chemistry Curricula Released

We are thrilled to announce the release of our newest lesson plan, “Concrete without Quarries,” a lab geared to help middle-school students learn valuable chemistry lessons based on life-friendly practices.

Biomimicry Education Taking Root around the World

What do science educators from Sweden, a college professor from Spain, a biology doctoral student from Portugal, business school instructors from Switzerland and the U.K., an entrepreneur from Bulgaria, architects from Turkey, and the founder of a biomimicry organization in Japan all have in common? They recently completed a one-week workshop with Biomimicry 3.8 Institute educators at Findhorn Foundation College in Forres, Scotland, and are eager to use their skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm to promote biomimicry education at their institutions and beyond.

Tap Nature’s Genius to Solve a Critical Water Management Issue

This fall the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute will host its 4^th annual Biomimicry Student Design Challenge, the only international design competition geared to university students that addresses real-world problems exclusively through the application of biomimicry.

Michelle Obama Honors Janine Benyus at White House Luncheon

When we received word a few months ago that Janine Benyus won the Design Mind Award from the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, we celebrated the achievement and the exposure biomimicry would receive in the greater community. We did not realize that word would reach all the way to the White House!

Introduction to Biomimicry Online Course Now Available

Biomimicry 3.8 is excited to announce the official release of our first online course in the Foundations of Biomimicry series, “Introduction to Biomimicry.” This interactive online course has been specifically developed for professionals, students, and others new to the discipline who want to take the first step in understanding and developing a practice in biomimicry.

Professional Workshop in Zurich, Switzerland

Learn about biomimicry in the context of your local or regional ecosystem. This is your first step to getting involved with your regional biomimicry network.