By Madison Lile
In Western society, humans tend to view nature’s patterns through a lens of rationalism. Author Guiles Hutchins explains that “rationalism seeks certainty in our uncertain world and repeatable experiments under controlled conditions.” In the context of design, this means that much of the world’s science, architecture, and technology has been built on human reason. And because of the way we are wired, we often focus on a singular concept or try to create something entirely new to solve our problems. Until recently people were looking for exact data, examining parts individually; however, this disrupts the picture. When the content is removed from the context, the analysis is often marginalized because it doesn’t include the natural role and relationships that occur in nature. Designers could see what works, but not necessarily how or why it works. We are always wrapped up, wanting the next big thing that saves our world, but this proposes a larger question: Do we need to keep developing new things or can we look to those that have been here thriving long before us? As innovators, if we take a step back to study and emulate the forms around us, we may just find the answer.
The concept of biomimicry challenges our assumption that invention must always start from scratch. Instead it asks us to view nature like a research and development lab, one that has constantly tested itself through evolution. Every organism, from bacterium to Redwoods, represents a successful design, one that has adapted, evolved and survived environmental pressures over an immense span of time. In many ways nature has already solved the very problems that humans now face – how to build efficiently, how to conserve our energy, how to purify water and how to create without waste. The more we observe these patterns the clearer it becomes that innovation and invention are not always about control but about our human ingenuity paired with nature’s process.
Consider these two examples: One of the ways engineers have studied and used biomimicry can be seen with the structure of sharks’ skin, which was used to design materials that resist bacterial growth. The delicate texture of sharks’ skin creates micro patterns that make it difficult for microbes to attach. This discovery has led to different innovations in the medical field like tubing and hospital surfaces to reduce infection without chemicals. Another example is that architects have modeled different buildings after termite mounds, which naturally regulate temperature through intricate networks of tunnels. These examples demonstrate that nature already has the blueprints for sustainable design; we simply need to observe and apply what is already working in our natural world.
Yet to do this effectively as a society we must adopt a different mindset. One that values our curiosity and humility over the normal domination and control that’s seen with our Western rationalism. Biomimicry challenges us with our own inventions and recognizes that learning from the natural world needs openness and respect. If we assume we know the answer we will never have the chance to challenge ourselves to learn something new or open a door and discover our new potential. If we approach nature instead as a teacher rather than a mere resource, we begin to design systems that are technological, environmental, and social that can coexist harmoniously rather than destructively. Biomimicry should also not be limited just for engineering or environmental design; it should also be implemented into our social systems. Observing ecosystems teaches us how to diversify our strengths and resilience just like a forest depends on the interconnected roles of species. Human communities rely on collaboration and inclusion to be successful. Our survival and progress is dependent on cooperation not competition.
In the end biomimicry reminds us of something deeper than its “design principles” ; it reconnects us with the natural world. Nature continues to thrive not because it seeks dominance but because it involves balance with its surroundings. As we face a future shaped by climate change, expansion, and technological dependence, returning to the wisdom of nature may be the most rational act of all. True innovation emerges not from believing we have all the answers but from recognizing that the best teacher has been here all along.
*Parts of my article have been sourced from these two resources: Atmos. “The Promise of Biomimicry: When Buildings Breathe Like Termite Mounds.” Atmos, 3 Dec. 2025, atmos.earth/climate-solutions/the-promise-of-biomimicry-when-buildings-breathe-like-termite-mounds; and MacCowan, Richard James. “Sharklet Technologies – the Amazing Power of Shark Skin — BIOMIMICRY INNOVATION LAB.” BIOMIMICRY INNOVATION LAB, 12 Dec. 2023, www.biomimicryinnovationlab.com/blog/sharklet-technologies.
Madison Lile is a Spring Grove High School student, one of 10 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 27th year.
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