The Shark's Paintbrush: Biomimicry and How Nature Is Inspiring Innovation

Why does the bumblebee have better aerodynamics than a 747?
How can a seashell keep a microchip from overheating?
How can the design of a butterfly wing reduce the world’s lighting energy bill?
How will fleas’ knees and bees’ shoulders help scientists formulate a near-perfect rubber?

What’s the new face of the global economy? It’s been around since the beginning of time. It’s called Nature and it’s inspiring stunning solutions to some of the world's thorniest problems.

Today an interdisciplinary group of scientists, inventors, engineers and entrepreneurs are turning to nature's time-tested designs to innovate. The principle driving this transformation is called biomimicry, and in a little over a decade, it has already created some powerfully profitable enterprises and become one of the most prolific business philosophies of our time. With genuine passion and keen insight, Harman presents a comprehensive view of how businesses, big and small, and aspiring entrepreneurs can borrow from natural models to invent lucrative and environmentally-friendly solutions to pressing industrial challenges.

Blending science, business acumen and a natural gift for storytelling, Harman recounts his own experiences—in the corporate trenches and out in the wild—and shares dazzling examples. From energy-efficient wind turbines based on whale fins to an exploration of how cockroaches are being emulated to develop better prosthetic limbs, readers will marvel at the breadth of invention inspired by nature.

Aimed at a business audience, entrepreneurs, environmentalists and general science readers alike, 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.