Rippling With Energy
Photograph by Mauricio Handler, National Geographic
Long
strands of bull kelp ripple beneath the surface of churning coastal
waters, drawing fuel from the sun and, perhaps, pointing out a better
way for humanity to capture and use energy.
Seaweed is
just one of the innovations of nature from which engineers are drawing
inspiration as they seek to design energy systems that are cleaner and
more efficient. In plants—the engines of photosynthesis—and in creatures
as small as insects and as large as whales, advocates of "biomimicry"
are looking for systems that can help humanity better meet the challenge
of fueling civilization sustainably.
Biomimicry simply means
using designs inspired by nature to solve human problems. The idea is
that over 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature itself has solved many
of the problems that humanity finds itself grappling with today. Since
energy is one of the greatest challenges facing the world, with much of
the research aimed at designing systems that would work in greater
harmony with the planet, it is not surprising that science would look to
nature for answers.
Bull
kelp, named for its bullwhip shape, is one of the strongest and most
flexible seaweeds in the world and can grow up to 100 feet from its
holdfast (similar to roots) on the sea floor to the tips of its leaves.
The movement of the kelp's leaves as they photosynthesize sunlight into
energy inspired at least one Australian company, which is seeking to
commercialize a system that generates energy from the gentle motion of
floats bobbing up and down in the waves.
—Rachel Kaufman
This story is part of a special series that explores energy issues. For more, visit The Great Energy Challenge.