This study presents an innovative approach to interdisciplinary education by integrating principles of biology, engineering, and art to foster holistic learning experiences for children. The focus lies in assembling mycelium bricks as engineered living materials with promising applications in sustainable construction. Through a collaborative group task, children engage in the hands-on creation of these bricks, gaining insights into mycology, biomaterials engineering, and artistic expression. The curriculum introduces fundamental concepts of mycelial growth and its potential in sustainable material development. Children actively participate in fabricating 3D forms (negative and positive) using mycelium bricks, thereby gaining practical knowledge in shaping and moulding living materials. This hands-on experience enhances their understanding of biological processes and cultivates an appreciation for sustainable design principles. The group task encourages teamwork, problem solving, and creativity as children collaboratively compose structures using mycelium bricks. Integrating art into the activity adds a creative dimension, allowing participants to explore aesthetic aspects while reinforcing the project's interdisciplinary nature. Conversations about the material's end of life and decomposition are framed within the broader context of nature's cycles, facilitating an understanding of sustainability. This interdisciplinary pedagogical approach provides a model for educators seeking to integrate diverse fields of knowledge into a cohesive and engaging learning experience. The study contributes to the emerging field of biomimetics education, illustrating the potential of integrating living materials and 3D understanding activities to nurture a holistic understanding of science, engineering, and artistic expression in young learners.

One avenue for creating climate adaptation that has not yet been investigated is the urbanization process. Using ideas from nature seems to be a viable strategy for cities facing this problem. Investigating whether biomimicry concepts may enhance urban settings is the focus of this abstract. Long-term sustainability is promised by the creation of materials and structures that mimic nature and natural processes, in addition to addressing climate adaption. Natural disasters may be addressed more effectively with the use of biomimicry, which draws inspiration from biological processes and aims to prolong civilizations. In addition, a number of contemporary biomimetic solutions will be examined, along with their impacts, including structural organizsation inspired by honeycombs, batteries inspired by electric eels, spiders as a source of silk, and gecko stickiness in adhesive techniques. In addition to promoting sustainability, examining these tried-and-true natural solutions enhances the robustness and efficiency of engineered materials and buildings. By combining interdisciplinary research and a literature review, this study uncovers the untapped potential of biomimicry and urban evolution to provide adaptable solutions that align with the equilibrium of natural ecosystems. As cities grow and adapt to these obstacles, incorporating biomimicry into materials and buildings is a key but understudied characteristic. Urbanization's revolutionary potential based on biomimicry principles is highlighted in this abstract, laying the groundwork for future research.

INTRODUCTION

The ongoing urbanisation and industrialization in developing nations produce hazardous wastes, including heavy metals such as iron, nickel, cobalt, cadmium, etc., and bring naturally occurring radioactive materials to the surface through anthropogenic activities. Apart from radionuclides in the uranium and thorium series, surface water may contain natural radionuclides like 40K, 3H, and 14C, with anthropogenic sources contributing to 90Sr, 131I, transuranium products, and other emitters [1]. Their gradual buildup in the aquatic environment poses a persistent threat of metal-related diseases and endangers both aquatic biota and other organisms [2]. The integration of biomimicry principles can be a transformative avenue for environmental monitoring and aquatic research. This study aims to design a biomimetic swimming fish bot with advanced detectors to revolutionise water sample collection, reduce human interaction, and address environmental health by swiftly managing potential threats from heavy metals and radioactive materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Drawing inspiration from the swift swimming motion of Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), the bot employs a specialised fin-like structure that mimics the hydrodynamic efficiency of marine organisms, allowing it to cover large areas efficiently. The bot's capability to assess heavy metal contaminants is influenced by the bioaccumulating prowess of Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). The device utilises a radiation detection module inspired by the colour-changing behaviour of Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) flowers. Responding dynamically to radiation fluctuations, the sensors change colour for rapid and easily visible radioactivity analysis. Additionally, the entire device is powered by an energy-efficient system inspired by the metabolic efficiency observed in marine organisms. Testing is performed to evaluate its efficiency in a simulated environment.

RESULTS

The simulation demonstrates the bot's efficiency in assessing water quality, showcasing excellence in propulsion, precise metal detection, and prompt responsiveness in radiation analysis.

CONCLUSION

The result validates this design as a state-of-the-art biomimetic robotic device for water quality assessment.

Though historically this has not always been the case, science and art and architecture frequently go well together. Researchers who investigate the biological principles, structures, and functions of different natural things are engaged in the multidisciplinary area of biomimetics. Architecture contributes to the conversation within the profession, whereas art concentrates on producing visual objects for enjoyment. Bioinspired design is included into all facets of work at all scales through the combination of art, architecture, and biomimetics, or bio architecture. Utilizing biological principles to inform design is a creative process known as bioinspiration. In order to address real-world issues with innovation and sustainable development, the recently emerging multidisciplinary area of "biomimicry" combines scientific and technical aspects of biology with other disciplines. Both the social and natural sciences have an impact on architecture, and design activities often incorporate biological research. Through historical to contemporary bio architectural trends, bioinspiration has changed and moved architectural practices towards inventive ways. The distinction between replicating natural forms and comprehending biological principles is blurred by biomimicry in architecture, which is important for sustainable development. The main obstacle is the disparity between the creative process of architectural design and the deep understanding of biology and associated scientific domains; this calls for interdisciplinary collaboration. In this article, techniques are defined and applied to architectural design through case studies, examining bio architectural motions and their impact on biomimicry. Opportunities, difficulties, and the field's prospects for the future will all be discussed.

Global warming advances and urban areas are plagued by increasingly intense heat waves every summer, pressing a dire need to cool down cities.

Butterflies can inspire us in this matter, as they benefit from various multifunctional nanostructures on their wing scales. The properties range from structural coloring, hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties to structural integrity and passive thermoregulation. Recent research on scent scales - special scales, used by butterflies to distribute pheromones - indicates that they exhibit interesting thermal properties, especially within the atmospheric window (the wavelength spectrum from
7.5 μm - 13 μm, where our atmosphere is transparent for radiation within that range).

This work aims to investigate different kinds of butterfly scales on a micrometer and nanometer scale for potential application in the thermoregulation of buildings.

With Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Focused ion beam (FIB) techniques it is managed to cut into single scales, to analyze the cross-section of these structures and to provide first expert guesses about structure-function relationships. Color scales, scent scales and reflective scales from various butterfly species (both tropical and native to the temperate zone of Middle Europe) are compared, to determine, whether specific nanostructures could be responsible for thermal features such as passive radiative cooling.

The morphological and functional diversity of insects provides a valuable source of inspiration for the bio-inspired design of innovative and sustainable products and processes. This paper proposes to examine the principles and strategies that guide nature's evolutionary and adaptive activities, with a focus on the concept of a "module" as a measure and standard for achieving resilience and sustainability in natural ecosystems. The concept of a module, relevant in all living organisms, is particularly evident in insects: redundant and hierarchical geometries capable of generating high and unprecedented performances, such as, for example, the structural color observed in Chrysina Gloriosa, the superadhesion capacity observed in Hydaticus Pacificus, and the thermoregulation and structural strength of the Odonata dragonfly.

Modularity in insect structures manifests itself at different scales of observation, from nano to micro and macro scales, and at different levels, including morphology, structural organization, mechanisms of functioning, and behavioral processes. Emulating the principles and strategies of inherent modularity in insects in the design of processes and products can significantly contribute to increased sustainability, introducing new perspectives in the field of design for environmental sustainability in synergy with bio-inspired design.

Examples of insect morphological/functional diversity will be analyzed and related to case studies of bio-inspired designs and products, and the advantages gained in imitating some of their aspects and characteristics will be made explicit. In addition, it will be highlighted how computational design—that is, the application of algorithmic and systems thinking through the use of analysis tools, generative modeling, and 3D printing—enables the replication of complex forms by imitating the modularity present in insects, which, in different aggregations, generates resilient, sustainable, and well-performing structures.

Introduction

Aquatic moths of Lepidoptera, Crambidae, and Acentropinae inhabit moist environments. For example, the larvae of genus Eoophyla all live in streams, and their wing surfaces are highly hydrophobic after a long period of evolution. Currently, there are only some sporadic reports on the classification and agricultural control of aquatic moths, and reports on hydrophobic properties and their surface scales are very limited.

Methods

We used a contact angle measuring instrument and SEM to study the hydrophobicity and microstructure of three aquatic moths Eoophyla ochripicta , E. menglensis, and E. melanops (Crambidae, Acentropinae) and a non-aquatic moth Conogethes punctiferalis (Crambidae, Pyraustinae).

Results

Our research results show that the wing surfaces of all three aquatic Eoophyla moths have strong hydrophobicity, and the contact angle of the minimum water drop volume was 15 µL (ranging from 139.3° to 143.0°), but the contact angle of the non-aquatic moth was only 133.9°. The microstructures of the wing surfaces of the three aquatic Eoophyla moths are similar: the surface of the scales consists of sub-micron longitudinal ridges and laterally connected ribs, and the spacing between the longitudinal ribs is 0.8~1.69 µm, exhibiting a grid shape. Conversely, the laterally connected ribs of C. punctiferalis are incomplete.

Conclusions

Due to the presence of the wing surface microstructure of aquatic moths, and because the scale of the structure is much smaller than the diameter of the droplet, this leads to the formation of air pockets under the droplets, which are unable to fully fill the grooves of the surface. Thus, the wing surface exhibits stronger hydrophobicity. However, the microstructure of C. punctiferalis can make water droplets have more contact with the wing surface, so the hydrophobicity is less favorable than that of aquatic Eoophyla moths. Researching the relationship between the hydrophobic properties of the wing surface and its structure can provide an experimental and theoretical basis for the preparation of hydrophobic biomimetic materials.

Introduction

Macroporous chitinous scaffolds, derived from marine demosponges like Ianthella basta, have garnered significant interest in interdisciplinary research, particularly within the biomedical scientific community. This is primarily due to evolutionarily distinctive designs and their renewability due to the high level of chitinous tissue regeneration in this sponge. Recently, these biocompatible chitinous scaffolds have been successfully used in the tissue engineering of human mesenchymal stromal cells [1].

Methods
In this study, we investigated the characteristics of 3D microtubular I. basta sponge chitin, assessing its potential as a derived capillary system [2]. Various model liquids, including corresponding solutions of brilliant green (Fig.1), gentian violet, rivanol, iodine, potassium permanganate, decamethoxine, polyhexanide, as well as sea buckthorn oil and bromotyrosine—glycerin extract, were selected due to their antibacterial properties. The scaffolds, treated with these solutions, were evaluated against clinical Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, as well as fungi.

Results
The results showed zones of growth retardation for brilliant green, gentian violet, decamethoxine, and polyhexanide solutions. Notably, chitin matrices impregnated with antiseptic solutions retained their antibacterial properties for more than 72 hours and effectively transmitted these properties to fresh microbial cultures.

Conclusions
The results with diverse antiseptics impregnated with chitin scaffolds demonstrate considerable potential as an innovative material for wound dressing applications and controlled drug release.

INTRODUCTION: Spongin is a naturally occurring renewable biopolymer originating from marine sponges. In cultivated bath sponges, spongin-based 3D skeletal constructs are characterised by thermostability up to 360 °C, elasticity, durability, porosity, flexibility, and compressibility. This unique biomaterial can be carbonised at temperatures over 1000 °C and transformed into graphite without losing its 3D architecture [1]. The aim of this study was to investigate the melting behaviour of steel and copper on the surface of carbonised spongin scaffolds.

METHODS: Diverse types of steel in the form of shavings or powders as well as copper powder were melted on selected carbonised spongin templates in a furnace at temperatures of 1450 ^oC/1600 ^oC in an argon atmosphere for 90 min. The obtained phases were analysed using digital optical microscopy, SEM /EDS, and elemental mapping techniques.

RESULTS: Due to the reaction of carbonised spongin with steel or copper during melting, novel, never before reported 3D composite materials were developed and characterised (Figure 1, 2).

CONCLUSIONS: Due to the nanocrystalline metallic phase which is homogenously distributed on the surface of carbonised spongin, microfibres separated from the metallised 3D constructs show the appearance of magnetic properties only in the case of iron–spongin composites.

Figure 1.Stainless-steel 316 L powder after melting on carbonised spongin scaffold at 1450 ^oC for 90 min in an argon atmosphere.

Figure 2. Construction steel EN S235JRG2 (AISI 1015) after melting on carbonized spongin scaffold at 1450 ^oC for 90 min in an argon atmosphere.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: This research was funded by the National Science Centre (Maestro No. 2020/38/A/ST5/00151).

REFERENCES:

[1] Petrenko et al., (2019), Sci. Adv. 5(10): eaax2805., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.

The diversification of the periodic ultrastructure of wing scales plays a crucial role in regulating the functional properties of butterfly wings, contributing to their ecological adaptation. This study addresses the structural regulation of mid-infrared radiation (MIR) in wing scales, a property associated with cooling in thermoregulation and pheromone release during courtship. Using Danainae (Papilionoidea: Nymphalidae) as the model group, the study confirms the high morphological diversity of butterfly wing scales in a single individual with quantitative observations under scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that this diversity shapes the heterogeneity of the wing emissivity through heating experiments, virtual simulations, and correlation tests. Summarizing the effects of each component on emissivity, it was demonstrated that the increase in scale emissivity is due to the increase in its internal surface area and thickness. Additionally, it was demonstrated that, as the structural parameter positively correlates with emissivity increases, the area of scent patches, a high emissivity region where males emit pheromones, decreases significantly, whereas the size of scales on the scent patch increases significantly. A further study of 99 butterfly species from several families shows that as the range of butterfly species moves from low to high latitudes, which generally corresponds to a decrease in habitat temperature, the efficiency of infrared radiation in the wing scales decreases, i.e., the wing radiates less efficiently for cooling and less heat is dissipated. This phenomenon is also shaped by variations in the overall structure of the scales. The study provides a reference for understanding functional adaptation in butterflies.