Questions: Biomimicry: Solving Problems by Copying Nature
4 questions to test your understanding
Score: 0 / 4
Question 1 Multiple Choice
An engineer looked at burrs stuck to his dog's fur and saw tiny hooks. What did he invent?
AGlue
BA hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro)
CA zipper
DA magnet
George de Mestral, an engineer from Switzerland, saw that burrs had tiny hooks that caught on loops of fur. He copied the idea with one strip of tiny hooks and one strip of tiny loops.
Question 2 True / False
When people copy nature to make an invention, the invention must look exactly like the plant or animal.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
People copy the way a part works. Velcro does not look like a burr plant. It copies only the tiny hooks that let a burr hold on.
Question 3 Short Answer
A kingfisher dives into water to catch fish with almost no splash. How could its long, pointed beak help people build a better train?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: A train shaped at the front like a kingfisher's beak can cut through air more smoothly, so it makes less noise and uses less energy, especially when it rushes into a tunnel.
Engineers in Japan shaped the nose of a fast bullet train after the kingfisher's beak. The new shape made the train quieter when it came out of tunnels and helped it use less energy.
Question 4 Multiple Choice
Burrs stick to animal fur. How does this help the plant?
AIt keeps the animal warm
BIt carries the plant's seeds to new places
CIt helps the plant drink water
DIt scares animals away
A burr holds seeds. When it sticks to a passing animal, the seeds ride along and may fall off far away, where a new plant can grow.