Editing Biomimetics (section)

{{Short description|Imitation of biological systems for the solving of human problems}}
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[[File:Loligo forbesii.jpg|thumb| [[axons|Giant axons]] of the [[longfin inshore squid]] (''Doryteuthis pealeii'') were crucial for scientists to understand the [[action potential]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=The brain, the nervous system, and their diseases |date=2015 |editor=Jennifer L. Hellier |isbn=978-1-61069-337-0 |location=Santa Barbara, California |oclc=880809097}}</ref>]]

'''Biomimetics''' or '''biomimicry''' is the emulation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex [[human]] problems.<ref name=":6" /><ref name="Vincent2006" /><ref name=":5" /> The terms "biomimetics" and "biomimicry" are derived from {{langx|grc|βίος}} (''bios''), life, and μίμησις (''[[mimesis|mīmēsis]]''), imitation, from μιμεῖσθαι (''mīmeisthai''), to imitate, from μῖμος (''mimos''), actor. A closely related field is [[bionics]].<ref name=McCarty/>

Nature has gone through [[evolution]] over the 3.8 billion years since life is estimated to have appeared on the Earth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gordon |first=J. E. |title=The New Science of Strong Materials, or Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor |publisher=Pelican–Penguin |edition=2nd |location=London, U. K.}}</ref> It has evolved species with high performance using commonly found materials. Surfaces of solids interact with other surfaces and the environment and derive the properties of materials. Biological materials are highly organized from the molecular to the nano-, micro-, and macroscales, often in a hierarchical manner with intricate nanoarchitecture that ultimately makes up a myriad of different functional elements.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Alberts |first1=B |title=Molecular Biology of the Cell |last2=Johnson |first2=A. |last3=Lewis |first3=J. |last4=Raff |first4=M. |last5=Roberts |first5=K. |last6=Walter |first6=P. |publisher=Garland Science |year=2008 |location=New York}}</ref> Properties of materials and surfaces result from a complex interplay between surface structure and morphology and physical and chemical properties. Many materials, surfaces, and objects in general provide multifunctionality.

Various materials, structures, and devices have been fabricated for commercial interest by engineers, [[Materials science|material scientists]], chemists, and biologists, and for beauty, structure, and design by artists and architects. Nature has solved engineering problems such as self-healing abilities, environmental exposure tolerance and resistance, [[hydrophobicity]], self-assembly, and harnessing [[solar energy]]. Economic impact of bioinspired materials and surfaces is significant, on the order of several hundred billion dollars per year worldwide. 
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