Are you stuck in an emotional vortex - trying to solve a problem that seems unsolvable?
Einstein once said that "we cannot solve a problem on the same level of thinking that created it".
Sometimes we need to raise our gaze and look at things in a novel way. One of the best places to do that in is in the innovation incubator that is nature. As a Sydney-based futurist who lives offshore in a National Park at Pittwater, I see natural innovation every day. But I also see how humans have learnt from nature in our own innovation every day as well.
Biomimicry in particular...
Let me share a story with you...
In the 1940s, Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral made a simple yet profound observation that would change industries. After a walk in the countryside, he noticed how burrs clung stubbornly to his clothing (and to his dog). Instead of merely dismissing this as an inconvenience, De Mestral saw an opportunity.
His close examination of the burrs revealed tiny hooks that easily attached to loops in fabric, inspiring the creation of Velcro—a product that would become indispensable across various fields.
This story is a powerful reminder of how nature, through millions of years of evolution, offers us solutions to complex problems. From the aerodynamic form of birds influencing aircraft design and bullet trains to the efficient water-harvesting techniques of desert beetles inspiring sustainable technologies, biomimicry has long been a source of innovation.
As leaders and innovators, what if we expanded our awareness and deeply observed the natural world around us? How might we harness the wisdom of nature to address today’s challenges?
The answers are out there, waiting for those with the curiosity and vision to see them.
Let’s not just look but truly observe. The next great innovation could be inspired by something as simple as a walk in the park or on the beach.
What have been your biggest breakthroughs in/from nature?