The dream was to write a series of books about Theo & Tuva and now the outline for the second book is taking shape. 2020 has been a year filled with challenges, new challenges, but also old familiar problems have been lurking in the background. Greta Thunberg and young climate activistists have not given upContinue reading "New Challenges, New Adventures"

"We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again. We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time. We have come here to let you know that change is coming whether you like it or not.Continue reading "Books that Inspire Creative Thinking and Environmental Responsibility"

Ahh, at last the smell of sea! Spent some lovely days last week beachcombing. Lots of shells, most of them tiny, glittering in the sand on the tidal shore. Also, lots of sea weed that looked like bubble wrap with their distinctive air bubbles. The air sacks are known as air bladders, which give theContinue reading "Beachcombing – Bladderwrack!"

Meet the photographer to the book Biomimicry with Theo & Tuva"- Ann-Margrethe. Here she practising "Biomimicry Ballet". A wonderfully healthy way to experience nature while pondering over ideas inspired by nature. That children who understand nature are better at taking care of it is perhaps not so strange. Some children lack experience of nature andContinue reading "Biomimicry Ballet"

“I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of…” A cold but sunny September morning. The first day of Autumn, at least in meteorological terms, but the changes in the natural world such as the fantastic colourful autumn leaves display may still wait. A perfect time to study unique microhabitats where you live - under bushes,Continue reading "Under a Log!"

I picked the chestnuts on the street while walking my dog this morning. Autumn is almost here and the dark couds that covered the sky promised rain. Heavy rain. The horse chestnut is a stunning tree that is originally native to the mountains of northern Greece and Albania. It was introduced to the UK inContinue reading "Transforming Education, Treasures and Great Nature Books"

Why is biodiversity important? How to increase biodiversity using BIOMIMICRY? In the film, The Birds produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock the focus is on a series of sudden and unexplained violent bird attacks on the people of Bodega Bay, California. A classic horror film, however, the true horror is perhaps a world without birds.Continue reading "Inspiring Endangered Birds – Biomimicry and Biodiversity"

Hurry out to sun with a pile of books. Or cuddle up on the sofa while you watch raindrops siding down the window panes at the same time as you flick through pages filled with exquisite and colourful fungi, animals and plants. Some books about nature that caught our eyes. Perfect books for lazy summer'sContinue reading "Summer Reading – Books for Curious Minds"

Pink fairy armadillo! The smallest of the armadillo family is a fascinating species that like so many animals on our planet is endangered. The animal is nicknamed sand digger and according to stories it can"burrow through the ground as fast as a fish can swim in the sea". It might be difficult to believe thatContinue reading "Inspiration for Biomimicry Story – Pink Fairy Armadillo"

I have spent sunny days in the garden reading the excellent Engineering Education for the Next Generation by Samuel Cord Stier, who is the executive director of The Center for Learning with Nature. This book together with wild gardening books, Wild Your Garden and Wildlife Gardening, provided the basis for the ideas about bringing sustainabilityContinue reading "Invent the Room – Sustainability & Biomimicry"

A plant revealing its wonderous secrets! Picking a Dandelion head, making a wish and blowing the puff into the air, watching as the little white fluff floats away on a light breeze is a lovely way to experience nature's magic taking place. Many people regard the dandelions as weed but it can also be seenContinue reading "Dandelions – Doing it Nature’s Way"

"I’ve often considered it strange that the most intellectual creature ever to walk the earth is destroying its only home. This wonderful story, What Happened When We All Stopped, helps parents and their children to overcome the disconnect between our clever brains and our loving compassionate hearts. We must find a way of living in harmony with nature so thatContinue reading "What happended when we all stopped"

Irresitable Rufous Hummingbirds trust Maise. Migrating rufous hummingbirds are famous for their extraordinary flight skills. The hummingbirds remember feeders and flowers along the way to their breeding grounds. Due to climate change, many flowers that the birds feeds on during the breeding season have started blooming prior to the birds' arrival. The rufous may arriveContinue reading "Hummingbird Whisperer – Inspirational Videos"

On Monday, 1st June, some pupils in the UK will return to school after the lockdown due to coronavirus. Lots of thoughts and worries but listening to Janine Benyus talk about the "great pause" as she calls the lockdown offer a vision of utopian glimmer in the darkness. The lockdown due to the coronavirus hasContinue reading "Utopian Glimmer – Covid-19"

Will the llamas become heroes in the fight against covid-19? Llamas are gorgeous looking animals that have caputured many hearts with their soulful big eyes, funny haircut and velvety snout. The fluffy gentle giants have also attracted the attention of scientists studying antibodies. The remarkable antibodies of camelids, llamas, camels and alpacas, has been studiedContinue reading "Llamas, Biomimicry and Viruses"

Our gardens, parks and forests are filled with wonders and beauty. Breathtaking wildlife and beautiful plants that give us life, it’s important to understand our world and nature drawing and biomimicry journaling give children an opportunity to enhance their understanding and appreciation of our earth. The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling provides greatContinue reading "Nature Drawing and Biomimicry Journaling"

I love to mix art and science! Biomimicry is a great opportunity to take out art supplies. Spring is the perfect time to study butterflies. With their colourful wings and gentle fluttering, it is easy to understand why they are such a welcome sign of Spring. The arrival of butterflies is also an important measureContinue reading "Fluttering Beauties – Biomimicry & Butterflies"

"We believe that the widespread adoption of nature-inspired solutions will catalyze a new era in design and business that benefits both people and the planet. Let’s make the act of asking nature’s advice a normal part of everyday inventing. We hope you will join us." Biomimicry Institute This year has been filled with changes andContinue reading "Reconnecting with Nature"

A new resource for Google Classroom. I hope you like it and that it will help to create many memorable experiences in your classroom. Perfect for homeschooling and distance learning! You find it here.

Biomimicry education should be a memorable experience! Several different approaches can be used to inspire children to explore nature and to feel excited about solving problems or inventing things. You can read books such as "How an Idea from Nature Changed Our World" by Dorna Schroeter and explore how biomimicry can be used to solveContinue reading "A Memorable Experience"

Small, colourful and spectacular! Hummingbirds are beautiful and strong. They provide the perfect inspiration for great ideas! A wonderful way to keep schoolchildren happy and engaged at home as well as ensuring that they are continuing their learning is to start a project. Project-based learning is an engaging way to spark an interest in aContinue reading "Project based learning perfect for homeschooling"

What everyday problem could a body like a ferret solve? Love all the wonderful ideas that pop up while you watch this video of a ferret in slow motion. Like magic the ferret lowers and stretches itself out, making its body 30% longer. This helps they when they are running through small tunnels. Amazingly theyContinue reading "Inspirational Video – Ferrets"

When I started making Biomimicry resources I had a vision of what I wanted them to look like. Google Classroom has made it possible to get a bit closer. Still, some ideas that I would like to include. Things can always be improved. Edward de Bono said, "Good But Not Enough"! Mantees and dugongs makeContinue reading "For Google Classroom – Biomimicry, Manatees & Dugongs"

Made another board game! Similar to the one with mammals but this time the theme is Australia. Games are an educational tool that is underestimated. They are engaging and fun. Nevertheless, I like the idea of games that at their core is non-competitive. And this Biomimicry Invention Board Game is more about ideas and exploringContinue reading "Board Game"

Wombats are one of Australia’s most loved marsupials, but they are often misunderstood. In children's books they are described as slow and clumsy, yet, they can actually run faster than a human or dog over a short distance. Muddle-headed wombats! No, they are quick to learn and they have adapted to their life underground. However,Continue reading "Biomimicry, Bushfires and Wombats"

A dangerous summer is unfolding in Australia and so far millions, even billions animals have lost their lives in raging bushfires. Bushfires are common in Australia so animals and plants have developed various ways to survive and reproduce. This year, the bushfires are not normal, hundreds of fires are burning and the links to climateContinue reading "Bushfires and Biomimicry"

Bring nature and curiosity into your classroom! Learning is more fun and memorable when you are encouraged to ask questions and solve engaging problems. By inspiring your students to explore biomimicry you provide them with an opportunity to be amazed by the natural world. Biomimicry offers an opportunity to explore strategies and look for patternsContinue reading "How to foster students’ love of learning, creative thinking and desires to improve the world"

Embrace the trend! Start 2020 with spending time in nature and ponder! Trendy! Biomimicry is an emerging trend that is slowly but surely entering the business world, universities as well as the classroom. It may not always be easy to embrace biomimicry. Yet, it is a wonderful feeling to search for exciting solutions to problemsContinue reading "2020! Biomimicry an emerging trend!"

Funny, beautiful, excting, sad and heartbreaking. The BBC' s Seven Worlds One Planet has it all! A celebration of the diversity of life on each of the seven continents nearth, but also a hunting look into the challenges faced by animals in a modern world. Narrated by David Attenborough this is a real treat. AndContinue reading "Seven Worlds, One Planet – Inspirational videos"

Particle robots, working as a an oscillating group do not have any need for centralised control. The particle robots change their rhythms based on how intense a nearby light is shining. Robots that work together in this way could move through different types of environments, even places that they have never visted before. Working togetherContinue reading "Particle Robot – Inspirational videos"

Every Friday until Christmas, we are reducing the price on our book. Printed version click here. Ebook click here.

Books make a wonderful gift! Books are one of my biggest weaknesses. I love thin books, thick books, adult's book, children’s books, picture books and books with nothing but words! Here is a list of books that inspires us to look at nature. The books may challenge us to invent things, solve problems, dream andContinue reading "Nature, Invention, Biomimicry Books & Games"

Flying bats, owls and even spiders. Be amazed and feel inspired by these wonderful creatures and use them as inspiration for wonderful imaginative Halloween creations. Move away from the plastic toys and costyms, and celebrate the wonder of nature this Hallween. If you serach for spiders, bats and owls in the serach box, there areContinue reading "Inspirational Autumnlicious & Spooktacular Videos – Spiders, Bats, & Owls"

"A world that shimmers in different moss green shades can be as beautiful as a colourful coral reef." Biomimicry with Theo & Tuva: Nature spotting inspires wild ideas Theo & Tuva are exploring nature in the warm spring sun, on warm summer days when the rain is pouring down, when the snow sparkles and onContinue reading "Moss Green Shades & Mimic Stick Insect"

Cold and misty morning! Perfect day for watching this 1975 film based on the story Hedgehog in the Fog by Russian children’s writer Sergey Kozlov. A hedgehog walks through the night to visit his friend, a bear cub. It is not easy to find your way in a dense forest, and the little hedgehog getsContinue reading "Hedgehog in the Fog!"

I would like to thank Natursidan.se and Erik for the review of my book. Go here to read the review. I hope this inspires you to have a look at the book. So far I have sold a couple of copies to the US and Japan! And the Sweden version is doing well!

Can we capture carbon using plants and animals as strategic tools in our climate toolbox?. The global climate is changing, and the focus is often on decreasing the output of greenhouse gases via technologies or ideas such carbon offset or carbon taxes. Yet, reducing the emission of carbon is only one idea. We could accelerateContinue reading "Climate Change and Biomimicry"

Big fruit bats, vampire bats with razor sharp teeth, and the cutest fluffy white bat with yellow ears, and an interesting leaf-shaped nose. In the latest biomimicry booklet I slipped by accident into medical applications inspired by nature. And it was the Hoduran white bat that sparked the initial idea. Honduran white bat has theContinue reading "Bats! Bats! Bats!"

Autumn and Mushroom! Learn more about the magic underneath your feet. This is the trailer for the stunningly beautiful movie by Louie Schwartzberg and Paul Stamets. You can read more about their work here. You may also like Inspired by Fungi and Creepy Smelly Burglar Alarm. https://youtu.be/bxABOiay6oA

Invent a gliding suit or a robot inspired by sugar gliders. Or a new sport inspired by short tails. What do You do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins is a striking book with intriguing facts. Explore amazing things that animals can do with their ears, eyes, noses, mouths, feet and tails! TheContinue reading "What do you do with a tail like this?"

Thrilled to announce that the printed version is here! Ann-Margrethe, Cecilia and I hope you like it. You find it here.

"We need more talkative trees." Fairy tales have trees with human faces, trees that can talk and whisper, and sometimes even walk or fly. Yet, trees are despite all their brilliant features easy to ignore. They grow slowly, really slowly, and even if deciduous trees shed their leaves and burst with new leaves each springContinue reading "A sad tree"

The forest is home for thousands of species, big animals like bears, and deer, and smaller animals like hedgehogs, porcupines and rabbits. Thousands of ways to explore possibilities and be inspired. Porcupine Quills to Needles (21st Century Junior Library: Tech from Nature) by Jennifer Colby is a book in a series that aims towards providingContinue reading "A sharp idea – Biomimicry"

Sound is important when you are birding or bat spotting, but we can learn a lot about nature from closing our eyes and focusing on distinguishing signals. Our garden has this summer been bursting with the sounds of squirrels playing the trees. If we focused, we could hear them jumping from one branch to theContinue reading "A summer filled with the sound of squirrels! – Sound Mapping"

Summer evenings can be magical. Spending time the park or garden listening to the birds and watching the bees drinking nectar from the flowers. But summer evening can also be filled with thunder and lightning, which means that magic that can be found in nature can come by reading. Picture books bring the outdoors inContinue reading "Books about Nature using pressed flowers"

Biomimicry stimulates the imagination and inspires children to see nature as a place that offers both adventure and play, as well as a chance to discover the secrets of nature. Biomimicry is a way to explore the functions that animals and plants perform both themselves and in their ecosystems. This approach is a creative wayContinue reading "Breathe in nature, be inspired, solve problems, dream, build!"

This post contains ad links. Summer and Board Games! Evolution Board Game, Climate Board Game and Evolution: The Beginner Board Game are great games for children who loves nature. The first two games are suitable for a little older children. The games come from North Star Games and they have quickly become very popular games.Continue reading "Board Games for a Curious Biomimicrist"

The idea appeared yesterday when we were walking our dog. So many interesting ideas appear when you are walking. Walking improves creativty, according to a Stanford study. Stuck at home, staring at the walls, ideas seem hard to hatch. We have been thinking about the puffins but every idea seemed . . . boring .Continue reading "Puffilicious Rubbish Picker Litter Stick"

Our book "Biomimicry with Theo & Tuva: Nature spotting inspires wild ideas" is almost ready! Here is our backcover with a pale yellow-green birch. And beautiful birch heart! The birch has a little special meaning for all of us because Umeå is the city of the birches. Ann-Margrethe and I studied at university there togetherContinue reading "The City of the Birches – Biomimicry with Theo & Tuva"

Have you ever seen a puffin in the wild? One of the great things about biomimicry is that there is interesting information and great videos on the Internet and in the library. So, if you just like me have never had the pleasure of seeing a puffin in the wild, you can still study thisContinue reading "Puffin Beaks Glow under UV light! Biomimicry Journal"

Puffins have been in the news this week. Sadly, climate change might be the reason behind the crested or tufted puffins decline in numbers in the Bering Sea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIDTMo5zCSM Although, I have previously used endangered animals as inspiration for ideas, when I selected puffins a couple of weeks ago for a new booklet that IContinue reading "Puffins – Clownlike inspiration"

"Treehouses are for wonder. Treehouses are for snacks.Treehouses are for whispers and snickers and echoes.Treehouses are for everyone." Ever dreamt of having a treehouse? A magical place where you can escape from reality. Everything You Need for a Treehouse by Carter Higgins and Emily Hughes is a wonderful celebration of treehouses. Children dream up fantasticContinue reading "Everything You Need For A Treehouse"

Excited to share a picture from the book. Here the twins, Theo and Tuva, are pondering over the intricate ways that ladybirds folds their wings. Go here or here to read more about ladybirds!

This is an idea that I got a long, long time ago. Finally decided to make a start and I made a booklet with an invention board game with a focus on six fantastic and inspiring animals - giraffe, dolphin, zebra, giant panda, meerkat and cheetah. When using biomimicry with young children, it is oftenContinue reading "Biomimicry Invention Game"

The wonderous world of frogs are a treasure trove of inpiration. There is something utterly magical about the idea to change skin texture or colour. Just look at the Moor Frogs (Rana arvalis) who turn blue Spring. Well, at least the males turn bright blue. They are usually reddish-brown like many other frogs. Blue isContinue reading "Celebrate Spring – Turn Blue for a Couple of Days"

Nature and architecture are perfect partners! Are you planning a biomimicry challenge? The book Wild Buildings and Bridges: Architecture Inspired by Nature by Etta Kaner is a great introduction to using nature as inspiration to design and architecture. Thought-provoking questions and illustrated examples mixed with directions that invite children to build and explore their ideas.Continue reading "Wild Buildings and Bridges"

". . . observe simply for the sake of curiosity." Inspired by the book iSites: Nature Journaling for Biomimicry by Erin Rovalo, the plan was to spend at least part of the day observing the natural world. Spring is sometimes the best of times to tuning in the senses and just be filled by theContinue reading "Observing Nature"

The star-nosed mole incredible looking nose is not used to smell, instead, the nose is used to feel. Moles spend most of their time underground where it is dark so it is important with a good sense of touch. This fascinating animal is the only known mammal that can smell under water! Wow! The moleContinue reading "Moles with incredible noses and paws"

The groundhog is an interesting character and a perfect animal to use as an introduction to biomimicry. If the various names this rodent is known under does not spark any ideas its behaviour and fascinating face might. Groundhogs are known as woodchuck groundpig, whistlepig, thickwood badger, monax, moonack, weenusk, red monk and, among French Canadians inContinue reading "Ideas and Groundhogs are Everywhere!"

1st of February. When I look out of the window I cannot help to ponder over the extreme weather around the world. Heat waves, bushfires and extreme cold. The climate is changing and in Norden a range of climate strikes are planned. The strike is part of the climate activist Greta Thunberg's work to notContinue reading "Fridays for Future!"

I often get a blank face when I talk about biomimicry. So what exactly is biomimicry? Well, like most things, the more you know, the more complicated it becomes to explain something. A quick answer is that the word biomimicry consists of two words: bio which means life mimic which means to imitate. Bio whichContinue reading "What is Biomimicry?"

Blue is the rarest occurring pigment found in nature, which makes it even more thrilling to spot the blue velvet spread on a gloomy cold winter day. Terana caerulea is also known as cobalt crust fungus is a real beauty. Wonderful surprises are hidden in nature.  Little gems can be found everywhere if you take theContinue reading "Fungi Friday – Pretty in Blue"

Happy to present the twins - Tuva and Theo. Soon you can read about their adventures and be inspired by their ideas. The working title of the book is Biomimicry for Young Children and the book will be available in an English and Swedish version. I am responsible for the writing while my dear friendContinue reading "Biomimicry for Young Children – Book"

 Can you rethink the way burglar alarms are working? The creepy-looking devil's fingers sparked the idea. Looks are important but for this nature-inspired idea, the smells that the fungi release are more crucial for the alarm to work. A burglar alarm usually works by making a loud noise. The focus is on sending a messageContinue reading "Creepy Smelly Burglar Alarm"

Wild things Mud Faces Talking trees Adventure Peace Magical Fill a page in your Biomimicry Journal with positive nature words. Creative and inspirational energy is important when you think dive into nature. For young biomimicrists, looking at animals and plants with a positive and curious mindset is vital. We are after all hunting for possibilities!Continue reading "Dot-ish Positive Nature Words"

Looking for hands-on lessons and activities that engage children in environmental literacy? Biomimicry offers project-based instructions that may inspire future generations to care for nature and to see nature as a spot that offer not only calmness and spectacular experiences of beauty and drama but also can make your head twirl around with possibilities. PossibleContinue reading "Step out of the classroom and into nature"

Summertime and the air is filled with beautiful buzzing bumblebees. It looks like they know exactly which flower that offers the best nectar. They are true connoisseurs. But appearances can be deceptive and their clumsy flight has been revealed by a high-speed camera. A high-speed camera allows us to magnify in time and we canContinue reading "Wobbly flight of the bumblebee – Inspirational Video"

Finding engaging activities that inspire our children to be responsible guardians of Earth, is challenging. But biomimicry - learning from nature - can make all the difference. By using nature as inspiration children can find viable solutions and invent things that are characterized by a more natural and sustainable foundation. Children can search for patternsContinue reading "Biomimicrylicious Time"

Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Ken Robinson Slugs and snails can usually be found hiding under branches and rocks in the schoolyard. Introduce students to biomimicry and you are likely to come across groups of students marvel at a slug or snail creep along the surface. This may not onlyContinue reading "How biomimicry boosts students’ observation skills, creativity and critical thinking."