Back in the day, the survival of indigenous peoples depended on being attuned to nature and the environment. Hunting for food required knowledge of the patterns and behavior of prey on land and in the water. When gathering plants for food and medicine, one had to know where to find and when to pick the right specimens. Ancient cultures derived not only food, shelter, clothing and medicine from their environment, but also lessons in living. Careful observation of the movements of animals, for example, resulted in early developments in the martial arts as practitioners sought to emulate what they saw.
We began to lose our sensitivity to nature in the transition from life as hunter-gatherers to agrarian societies. Still, the farmer had to maintain an awareness of the weather and the soil to optimize crop yield and had to understand how to raise domesticated animals and protect them from wild predators.
As society further changed during the industrial and then the information age, some of us became almost completely removed from the natural environment. The lack of connection has caused us to forget our responsibility as stewards of the world around us and to lose sight of the wisdom to be gleaned from nature.
As though civilization needed a reminder of what we once knew, scientist Janine Benyus popularized the term "biomimicry" in her 1997 book "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature." The field seeks to understand nature’s models and then imitate or use them to design solutions to modern problems, human and otherwise. Some researchers are focused on highly specific and technical solutions in health care, while others seek insights for environmental sustainability. The field is now on fire with interest from the academic, government and private sector.
Dr. Edward Tori of the MedStar Institute for Innovation points out three examples of the use of biomimicry:
1. By observing which plants chimpanzees choose to eat when they are ill, scientists may have found new anti-parasitic pharmaceutical agents that could be of benefit for humans.
2. It is known that shark skin is highly resistant to bacterial, fungal and parasitic infection because of its diamond-shaped studded surface. Scientists are working to create new materials for public places that minimize disease transmission when touched.
3. Sandcastle worms make a strong adhesive that remains fluid while inside their bodies, which are acidic. However, when the material is secreted and comes into contact with the alkaline ocean environment, it hardens. This compound has potential to serve as a type of biological glue, possibly for bone fractures that cannot be fixed with hardware.
Biomimicry is even used for aesthetics in plastic surgery. Years ago I spoke with a retired colleague who had a long and productive career in cosmetic surgery focused on the nose. He attributed his success to always using the Golden Ratio symbolized by the Greek letter Phi. First described by Pythagoras some 2,500 years ago, the Golden Ratio is seen in the appearance of spiral seashells.
Biomimicry is not only an emerging branch of science with promise to solve problems in health care or to engender environmental sustainability. It is also a reminder of a way of life we once knew, one in which we were deeply connected to the natural world.
Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.
