Mechanical injury is a prevalent challenge in the lives of animals with myriad potential
consequences for organisms, including reduced fitness and death. Research on animal …

Within the framework of a circular economy, we aim to efficiently use raw materials and
reduce waste generation. In this context, the longevity of biomimetic material systems can …

Bio-inspired solutions are widely adopted in different engineering disciplines. However, in
structural engineering, these solutions are mainly limited to bio-inspired forms, shapes, and …

Plant cell deformation is a mechanical process that is driven by differences in the osmotic
pressure inside and outside of the cell and is influenced by cell wall properties. Legume leaf …

Load-bearing biological materials employ specialized elastic bridging regions to connect
material parts with substantially different properties. While such bridging regions emerge in …

During evolution, various functional principles have evolved that allow plants to create
predetermined breaking points for the spatially defined abscission of organs. In the plant …

All organisms have acquired mechanisms for repairing themselves after accidents or lucky
escape from predators, but how analogous are these mechanisms across phyla? Plants and …

Biological composites (biocomposites) possess ultra-thin, irregular-shaped, energy
dissipating interfacial regions that grant them crucial mechanical capabilities. Identifying the …

Spinning winged fruits (“helicopter” samaras) generate significant lift forces at relatively low
velocities, which enable the wind to disperse them across long distances. The biological …

Among many escape strategies that animals have evolved to evade capture by their
predators, autotomy is a prominent one, whereby an animal self-amputates a body part …