Scientists and engineers are getting some wild ideas from the wild kingdom
A beetle's "White Album"
The cover to the Beatles collection known as the "White Album" has nothing on the brightness of scales covering the Cyphochilus beetle, shown here. The scales are 10 times thinner than a human hair and whiter than most substances found in nature. Scientists discovered that each long and flat scale has three-dimensional structures that scatter all colors of light simultaneously, thus appearing a brilliant white. By mimicking the structure, engineers envision new materials ranging from brighter paper to whiter teeth.
Check out nine more innovations inspired by nature:
Gecko glue: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-gecko-glue
Sea cucumber plastic: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-sea-cucumber-plastic
Speedy swimsuit: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-speedy-swimsuits
Jet sprayers: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-jet-sprayers
Drones: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-drones
Repellant materials: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-repellant-materials
Bullet trains: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-bullet-train
Fishy armor: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-fishy-armor
Bullet trains: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-bullet-train
Fishy armor: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-fishy-armor
Boxfish-styled cars: www.happynews.com/inspired-innovations-boxfish-cars

© 2008 msnbc.com
Reproduced with permission of MSNBC, from Ten innovations inspired by nature by John Roach, October 21, 2008; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

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