Inspired by Nature
Scientists look to nature for ideas. This is called biomimicry. Using ideas from nature can save energy.
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Look at the humpback whale’s fin. Look at the wind turbine’s blade. What do you see? They are the same shape. Whales can move quickly in the water. Wind turbine blades move quickly through the air.
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Japan has a train called the “bullet train.” It is very fast. It also was very loud. An engineer studied how to make it quieter. He was also a birdwatcher. They changed the shape of the train to look like the kingfisher bird and it was quieter.
What Do You Think? What can scientists learn from a butterfly?
Reading Response Click on this link to respond to your reading. Print out the response page or upload it to your classroom site.
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