Colour without pigments: Interference

Interference describes the appearance of colours without the existence of pigments. Instead, colour is created by multiple layers of light. A great variety of species in nature, metals and chemicals show this phenomenon.

The gemstone Labradorite

Mother of Pearl

Moonstone

Butterfly wings

...and the colibri, too....

Soap bubbles

Different butterflies reflect different colours

Video + text by The Naked Scientist (english)

Video about interference in general by Universität Heidelberg (german) 

Hemp Hemp Hemp!

Mme Perrier in France builds over 300 houses a year out of HEMP like in ancient egypt. Just watch the video, it´s amazing!

"What needs to be done?" - Buckminster Fuller

Video for "The Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2008"

14 ideas from biology

Tardigrades dry out completely but stay alive and regenerate (source)

Mussels as an example for timed degradation (source)

Strings of spider´s webs are extremely stable yet flexible (source)

Microbes neutralize toxics (source)

Fog basking beatle inspired architecture (source)

Lotus leaf detail. (source)

Colour without pigments: peacock (source)

Abalone shell: model for extremely strong material (source)

Transformation of CO2 like leaves? Source

1. Self-assembly. Example: Abalone shells. They are twice as tough as high-tech ceramics!  
2. CO2 as a feedstock. Turn CO2 into oxygen and carbonhydrates. Biodegrable plastics!
3. Solar transformations. Gaining fuel without platinum, but with common iron as plants do; mimicking the energy harvesting device inside of purple bacteria; 
4. The power of shape. E.g. Whale has bumps on his skin that increase efficiency -> guide for aeroplane wings (32% energy reduction)
5. Colour without pigments. Creating colour with shape via thin film interference. +
6. Clean without detergents. E.g. "Lotusan" facade colour, water bubbles remove dirt by mimicking bumps in leaf´s surface.
7. Quenching thirst.  Fog basking beatle gets water out of fog.
8. Metals without mining. Microbes extract metals out of water, can even neutralize toxics!
9. Green chemistry. Spider´s web consists of highly flexible but stable material. In 2010, german researchers have unraveled the secret behind the spider´s silk (Source)
10. Timed degradation. Mussles hold on to rocks no longer than 2 years before they dissolve.
11. Resilience and healing. Species like Tardigrades that dry out completely but stays alive for months could be model for damageable vaccines, so that vaccines no longer need to be refrigerated.
12. Sensing and responding. Why do insects not collide, while cars do 3.6 million times a year? 
13. Growing fertility. Waste water treatment, responsible farming etc. 
14. Life creates conditions conducive to life. Life has all the solutions: cleaning water, cleaning air.

Ideas taken from Janine Benyus´s talk at TED: Youtube link

D´Arcy Thompson

D´Arcy Thompson (1860-1948) was a great british mathematician and biologist, some call him the first "biomathematician". In his work "On Growth and Form", he analyzed biological appearances and processes with respect to physical and mathematical aspects. He paid particular attention to structures in tissues and cells, as well as to theories about transformation in related forms.

D´Arcy Thompson (via source)

His famous book "On Growth and Form" (via source)

Transformation of skulls (source)

Blood Vessels (source)