The Shark's Paintbrush

The wave of the future has been around since the beginning of time: it's called Nature. Let inventor and entrepreneur Jay Harman introduce you to stunning solutions to some of the world's thorniest problems. Why does the bumblebee have better aerodynamics than a 747? How can a seashell keep a microchip from overheating? What structural design is shared by a tornado and a blood vessel? How can the design of a butterfly wing reduce the world's lighting energy bill by 80 per cent? How will fleas' knees and bees' shoulders help scientists formulate a near-perfect rubber? Today an interdisciplinary and international group of scientists, inventors, and engineers is turning to nature to innovate and find elegant solutions to human problems. The principle driving this transformation is called biomimicry, and Harman shares a wide range of examples of how we're borrowing from natural models to invent profitable, green solutions to pressing industrial challenges. Aimed at a business audience, aspiring entrepreneurs, environmentalists, and general science readers, The Shark's Paintbrush reflects a force of change in the new global economy that does more than simply gratify human industrial ambition; it teaches us how to live in harmony with nature and opens bright opportunities for a better future. Among the many fascinating topics Jay explores: what the human heart and dust devils have in common, and how this parallel structure can lead to better technologies in medicine; how studying seaweed can lead to resistance-free antibiotics; how the noxious-smelling durian fruit can offer ideas for helping humans live on Mars; how a single whale affords us a vast library of design expertise and information that can revolutionize industries as diverse as medical, aerospace, and emergency pollution response following oil spills and catastrophic tsunamis; how the blowfly maggot could lead to breakthroughs in materials science, helping to lower production costs and manufacture higher-efficiency substances; and, how the tiny scales making up the skin of sharks are being replicated on boats and airplanes to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency. The Shark's Paintbrush appeals to readers in science, business, and environmental issues. This is a huge demographic that is educated and affluent. One in four Americans are a part of the sustainable lifestyle sector, representing a $290 billion market. These consumers purchase goods and services focused on the environment, social justice, health, personal development and sustainable living. That's 41 million people who are fueling progressive social, environmental and economic change in the United States - and the businesses that support these changes.