Episodes
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How cow’s stomachs inspired the design of a zero power, zero odour and zero chemical sewage treatment plant in India.
Function: Manage waste
Biological model: Cow stomach compartments and rumen microbiota
Engineering translation: ECOSTP sewage treatment system
Sources / further reading
• Appels,L., Baeyens, J, Degrève,J,, & Dewil,R. 2008. Principles and potential of the anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science. 34:6:755-781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2008.06.002. https://share.google/2RbH6WTvrTuxLynpr
• Metcalf & Eddy. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Resource Recovery. 2014. https://share.google/Ma1khM8anLxRmGJFx
• Perez, H. G., Stevenson, C. K., Lourenco, J. M., & Callaway, T. R. 2024. Understanding Rumen Microbiology: An Overview. Encyclopedia, 4(1), 148-157. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia4010013. https://share.google/Eisaa8O3MCLEOCXi9
• Van Soest PJ. Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. Cornell University Press; 1994. https://share.google/O2hWmaSlyaRyjR3q8
• Xu Q, et al. Gut Microbiota and Their Role in Health and Metabolic Disease of Dairy Cow. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:701511. https://share.google/YxxwNM4aQVjtCzO81
Image credits
• Cow diagram, illustration adapted from Graham's family Dairy
• ECOSTP Antharam, via Organo
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
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How a city in California stabilised chlorine levels in water 87% faster than conventional methods, inspired by seashells.
Function: Move fluids
Biological model: Logarithmic spirals and vortices in nature
Engineering translation: Pax Impeller® and the Thousand Oaks water case study
Sources / further reading
• Bejan A. The Physics of Life: The Evolution of Everything. 2016. https://share.google/OjFZVJZpxo3F58JKC
• City of Thousand Oaks case study on Pax mixer performance. https://cleanwater1.com/pax-mixers
• Harman J. The Shark’s Paintbrush. 2000. https://share.google/XtwGscrlkDAgCI4xx
• Pax Scientific. Innovative Technology: How the Pax Impeller Works. https://paxscientific.com/water-tech
• Vogel S. Life in Moving Fluids. Princeton University Press; 1994. https://share.google/MlCCBYrLMDXvyaqSa
Image credits • Spiral shell via Canva • Impeller via Pax Scientific via AskNature.org
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
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Missing episodes?
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How Airbus cut 1,000 kilos of weight from each A380 airplane, making them stronger in the process, by learning from bone structures.
Function: Maximise strength with minimal material
Biological model: Trabecular bone
Engineering translation: Topology optimisation in aircraft structures
Sources / further reading
• Elelwi M, Botez RM, Dao TM. Structural Sizing and Topology Optimization Based on Weight Minimization of a Variable Tapered Span-Morphing Wing for Aerodynamic Performance Improvements. Biomimetics. 2021;6(4):55. https://share.google/kAtasd2IGKmRoOvYy
• Zhu JH, Zhang WH, Xia L. Topology Optimization in Aircraft and Aerospace Structures Design. Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering. 2016;23:595–622. https://share.google/fHZNqODNsBG8s7A9g
Image credits • Bone via Canva• A380, Keta via Wikimedia
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
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How Banksia shrubs inspired researchers to develop a solution where pine wood resists ignition even at 1008C.
Function: Protect from fire
Biological model: Oldman Banksia (Banksia serrata) follicles
Engineering translation: Heat-activated self-sealing material concepts tested at the Max Planck Institute
Sources / further reading
• Australian Plants Society. Banksia serrata. https://share.google/qAj9SpOmx1eZ5Z11o
• Huss JC, et al. Temperature-induced self-sealing capability of Banksia follicles. 2018. https://share.google/111FL5JbKTnukWWM3
• Huss JC, et al. Protecting offspring against fire: Lessons from Banksia seed pods. 2019. https://share.google/w72njJAFMxvELUjEi
Image credits
• Banksia pod via Canva
• Max Planck Institute, Jörg Abendrot via Wikimedia
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
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How Kingfisher’s beaks changed the way we design fast trains cutting noise by up to 15 decibels.
Function: Reduce acoustic impact
Biological model: Kingfisher beak
Engineering translation: Shinkansen bullet train nose redesign
Sources / further reading
• Biomimicry Institute. Kingfisher-inspired Shinkansen design. https://share.google/mzcDAhsClBNQKl8pV
• Crandell KE, Howe RO, Falkingham PL. Repeated evolution of drag reduction at the air-water interface in diving kingfishers. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 2019;16(154):20190125. https://share.google/3V3kDtxWmdsUXwgWw
• Kikuchi, Katsuhiro & Iida, M. & Fukuda, T.. (2011). Optimization of Train Nose Shape for Reducing Micro-Pressure Wave Radiated from Tunnel Exit. Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control. 30. 1-19. 10.1260/0263-0923.30.1.1. https://share.google/6Otr8SZap2VH4ZkcB
• Fish FE, Lauder GV. Passive and active flow control by swimming fishes and mammals. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics. 2006;38:193–224. https://share.google/fYrmvrEYY77IzQdz8
• Lovvorn JR, Jones DR. Body mass, volume, and buoyancy of some aquatic birds, and their relation to locomotor strategies. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 1991;69(11):2888–2892. https://share.google/R7gVqSL4GfjcE0JLM
• Vogel S. Life in Moving Fluids: The Physical Biology of Flow. Princeton University Press; 1994. https://share.google/00fvyNg5U4vymwNQW
Image credits • Kingfisher via Envato • Bullet train via Canva
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
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Discover how termites inspired an 82% drop in electricity use in the Australian-based CH2 building by designing smart chimneys just like termites.
Function: Regulate temperature
Biological model: African termite mounds
Engineering translation: CH2 (Council House 2), Melbourne
Sources / further reading
• Arup. Biomimicry and the Built Environment. 2013. https://share.google/kBObCUIJzVvhhv95N
• City of Melbourne. Council House 2: A Case Study in Sustainable Design. 2006. https://share.google/3upSbenEaGzMV8jyf
• Ocko SA, et al. Solar-powered ventilation of African termite mounds. Science. 2017;357(6354):1246–1249.
• Pearce, M. Council House 2 (CH2), Melbourne. https://share.google/42wyEva35hRoCvrmq
• Turner JS. The Extended Organism: The Physiology of Animal-Built Structures. Harvard University Press; 2000. https://share.google/hR0qVlViZJPUr0Nx5
Image credits • Termite via Canva • CH2 building, Nick Carson via Wikimedia
Written and produced by Melanie Farmer.
Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.
