30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

By BBC World Service

Technology

What's 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter about?

Amazing things humans have learnt from the animal kingdom. Inspiring, fascinating, bingeable.

5.0

372 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Insects and mobile phone

01.17.2022

S2 Ep 30. Smart phones could become even smarter – thanks to ants, beetles, moths and spiders! A multi-animal special episode, marking the season 2 finale. Patrick explores what could be an insect inspired phone of the future! There’s the ...

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter episodes:

01.17.2022 Insects and mobile phone S2 Ep 30. Smart phones could become even smarter – thanks to ants, beetles, moths and spiders! A multi-animal special episode, marking the season 2 finale. Patrick explores what could be an insect inspired phone of the future! There’s the ...
01.10.2022 Butterfly and eye implant S2 Ep 29. Not all butterflies are colourful. The transparent wings of the longtail glasswing butterfly may hold the key to more effective eye implants. This could be of huge benefit to people with glaucoma - the second leading cause ...
01.03.2022 Slug and surgical glue S2 Ep 28. From goo to super glue! Slug slime may hold the key to mending wounds without stitches or staples. Scientists have developed new adhesives based on the properties of slug slime, that are as sticky as any glue, ...
12.27.2021 Dragonfly and sky spy S2 Ep 27. The amazing agility of a dragonfly leads to the creation of a new spy drone. Their four wings can move independently of each other, enabling them to fly forwards, backwards, sideways, up and down and suddenly stop ...
12.20.2021 Kingfisher and soil erosion S2 Ep 26. A very clever solution to a significant environmental problem based on a kingfisher’s eyelids. When the brightly coloured bird dives for food, its eyes are covered in a way that protects the kingfisher’s eyeballs, rather like swimming ...
12.13.2021 Bees and fast deliveries S2 Ep25. Sweet moves! Honey bees have developed an extraordinary form of communication known as the “waggle dance”, which directs other bees to where the best nectar can be found. As more and more bees explore the area, their directions ...
12.06.2021 Jellyfish and underwater robot S2 Ep 24. The world’s most efficient swimmer is the moon jellyfish! It’s the inspiration for a soft underwater robot that is safe enough to use in fragile environments like coral reefs and aquatic archaeological sites. By contracting a ring ...
11.29.2021 Polar bear and insulation S2 Ep 23. The science behind some fascinating fur could help humans keep warm in space. A polar bear’s fur is brilliant at insulating it from freezing arctic temperatures. Each shaft of hair contains multiple chambers which trap heat close ...
11.22.2021 Electric eels and medical implants S2 Ep 22. From heart stopper to heart saver? The electric eel creates energy within its body to shock its prey. Scientists are copying the electricity-producing cells of the eel to develop a new type of soft, fleshy battery which ...
11.15.2021 Camel and desert architecture S2 Ep 21. Take a peek into a camel’s nose! The science inside could help to cool desert homes. A camel re-absorbs the water normally lost in the breathing cycle, keeping its temperature down. An architect has copied this to ...
11.08.2021 Lobsters and space telescopes S2 Ep 20. How a sea creature can help us see more of our universe. A lobster’s eyes have evolved to spot food and potential threats in murky conditions at the bottom of the ocean. Scientists have copied their structure ...
11.01.2021 Pangolins and Waterloo Station S2 Ep 19. A tricky design challenge solved! All thanks to the scaly skin of the pangolin. Scales cover its body in an overlapping pattern, providing both flexibility and armour against attack. Architects copied this to create a glass roof ...
10.24.2021 Ants and mini robots S2 Ep18. Snap! The trap-jaw ant’s amazing jaws can move faster than a speeding bullet, snapping shut at a top speed of 230km per hour. When the ant bites down, the force is so great that it launches the insect ...
10.17.2021 Horseshoe crabs and vaccines S2 Ep 17. A new synthetic test to create safe vaccines – based on the secrets of the horseshoe crab and its blue blood. Scientists hope this new technology could mean they no longer need to use the blood to ...
10.10.2021 Arapaima fish and armour S2 Ep16. It’s a “living fossil”! This fish can resist piranha attacks and is inspiring a new body armour. The arapaima has been swimming the waters of the Amazon for millions of years. It’s also home to a famous predator, ...
10.03.2021 Barn owl and drone S2 Ep15. Learning from Lily the owl – could she help small aircraft cope with turbulence? Scientists hope what they’ve learnt about barn owls might help with the design of drones. Let us know what you think. #30 Animals www. ...
09.26.2021 Manta ray and pollution solution S2 Ep14. Will a ray save the day? It’s inspiring a way to prevent more pollution of our oceans. As sea water enters a manta ray’s large mouth, plankton are captured and other particles are thrown up by whirlpools. Systems ...
09.19.2021 Cicada and safe surfaces S2 Ep13. Bye-bye bacteria! How an insect’s wings inspired materials that could keep surfaces free from bacterial infections. The wings of cicadas are covered with tiny spikes which burst the walls of bacteria and kill them. Replicating this remarkable design ...
09.12.2021 Cats and road safety S2 Ep12. We love cats (well, many people do)! Thanks to one feline friend, they help keep us safe. An inventor narrowly avoided a road accident thanks to the eyes of a cat. He developed reflective road studs and named ...
09.05.2021 Octopus and transplants S2 Ep11. Can the remarkable dexterity of octopus suckers help improve delicate surgery? The octopus uses its powerful arms to grip onto rocks, capture prey and walk around the sea floor. Suckers are found along the arms which are crucial ...
08.29.2021 Rose butterfly and solar panels S2 Ep10. Their wings aren’t just for show! The rose butterfly can help us harness energy from sunlight. Scientists have been inspired by their wings’ unique lattice structure. This could lead to cheaper and more effective solar panels. Thanks for ...
08.22.2021 Sponge and skyscraper S2 Ep9. Ever heard of Venus’s Flower Basket? It’s the marine sponge inspiring bridges and skyscrapers! Its delicate and resistant structure is both lightweight and very resistant to buckling - it may provide the blueprint for the next generation of ...
08.15.2021 Cow and sewage treatment S2 Ep8. A cow’s amazing stomach could hold the key to stopping wastewater pollution. Engineers have designed a new sewage treatment plant based on a cow’s unique digestive process. Wastewater is progressively cleaned by microorganisms until it’s safe enough to ...
08.08.2021 Snake and rescue robot S2 Ep7. Imagine being rescued by a snake! A new generation of wriggly robots, inspired by the movement of snakes, could save your life. The way a snake can move over a complex variety of landscapes could be replicated by ...
08.01.2021 Mantis shrimp and aircraft S2 Ep6. Bam! The mantis shrimp’s powerful punch could change the way we build cars and planes. The little crustacean has inspired lighter, more impact-resistant materials. These shrimps are ferocious predators which use their forelimbs to hit their prey with ...
07.25.2021 Wasp and keyhole surgery S2 Ep5. Scared of wasps? They could help keep you alive, perhaps transforming life-saving keyhole surgery. Parasitic wasps possess a long tube which can reach inside the body of their host where they lay their eggs. Thanks for listening. Let ...
07.18.2021 Hedgehog and helmet S2 Ep4. A hedgehog could save your life! Spiky quills protect hedgehogs from being eaten by predators. But they also play an important role in cushioning the animal when it falls, keeping it safe even if it plunges from a ...
07.11.2021 Camel and cool medicines S2 Ep3. Camels are cool. They cope with intense desert heat, inspiring a gel for storing medicines. It could extend the life of medicines, making it easier to transport them across the globe. Thanks for listening. Let us know what ...
07.04.2021 Squid and self-healing materials S2 Ep2. What if a robot could fix itself? It’s the story of the secret of scary squid suckers, with their razor sharp teeth-like structures. They could hold the key to materials which can repair themselves without human intervention. Scientists ...
06.27.2021 Elephant and robotic arm S2 Ep1. An elephant’s trunk is amazing. Imagine a robotic arm with the same capabilities. Not only does a trunk have the strength to topple trees and lift hundreds of kilograms in weight, it can also perform precise and delicate ...
06.21.2021 Season 2 is coming soon! Get ready to meet 30 more amazing animals. From cats to camels, ants to elephants, discover the unexpected things they can do that have inspired new technologies that make us smarter. Season 2 begins on 28 June. #30Animals
10.21.2019 30 Animals LIVE The "nerd-fest" live show! A scorpion and tarantula on stage, biomimicry bingo and animal music, recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre in London. Welcome to the season finale, with your suggestions of animals which are inspiring us. Watch all the ...
10.14.2019 Spider and remote sensing When a fly hits a spider’s web the web sends vibrations to the spider crouched at its edge. This is known as remote sensing. The webs may help us design sensors to detect vibrations in the earth and the built ...
10.07.2019 Butterfly and paints The wings of one of the most beautiful butterflies could transform paints and textiles. Scientists are fascinated by how the blue morpho produces its shimmering blue effect. With Patrick Aryee. #30Animals www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals
09.30.2019 Peacock and computer screen Unlocking the secrets of the dazzling colours in the tail of the peacock. It is designed to attract females but has caught the eye of scientists, as they mimic it to develop high-resolution reflective colour-screen displays. With Patrick Aryee. #30Animals ...
09.23.2019 Ant and networks How road, subway and computer systems could be helped by trails created by turtle ants. For extra information about all episodes, visit: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals #30Animals
09.16.2019 Mussel and foetal surgery Babies in the womb could be saved with the help of a glue based on proteins found in mussels. Performing surgery on foetuses in the womb is an astonishing medical feat but closing the delicate amniotic sac after surgery is ...
09.09.2019 Butterfly and butterfly house Imagine a building based on the shape of an egg – all thanks to the butterfly. Nature has long been a source of inspiration for the design of buildings, like the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona. This is the story ...
09.02.2019 Dolphin and tsunami detector The way dolphins communicate is being studied to create tsunami early warning systems. They produce click sounds to help navigate and hunt for prey. They listen back to the echoes to help create a 3D image and visualise their surroundings. ...
08.26.2019 Bat and robot Picture the scene after a serious earthquake or a tornado. A flying robot inspired by bats could help survey the damage. There may be burst gas pipes, live electrical wires and many other dangers. Scientists have been studying bats to ...
08.19.2019 Fish schools and windfarm The way hundreds of fish move together may help with the design of wind turbines. Schools of fish appear to move as one - turning, contracting, expanding, even parting and then coming back together again. This is a beautiful sight. ...
08.12.2019 Bombardier beetle and fuel injection It blasts a toxic spray at predators. Now this beetle may help cars become more fuel efficient. The bombardier is the species of beetle that even sprayed acid in Charles Darwin’s mouth. The 'biological cannons' may help in the design ...
08.05.2019 Bat and unassisted flight Imagine flapping your arms and flying. Could we do that based on how the bat does it? Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated by the flight of bird and bats and used to sketch ideas in notebooks for a flying machine ...
07.29.2019 Spider and window glass How can we prevent millions of birds from being killed by flying into windows? The solution could rest with spiders. Webs containing UV reflective threads deter birds from colliding with them. With Patrick Aryee. To see our spider and window ...
07.22.2019 Whale and wind turbine The shape of flippers may help with the efficiency of wind turbines, thanks to humpback whales. Bumps on the edge of their flippers assist them, as they power through water. Biologist Frank Fish discovered this when he saw a sculpture. ...
07.15.2019 Gecko and adhesives How do geckos walk up walls and across ceilings? It is all down to the hair-like structure on their feet. A sticky material based on these clever lizards could help us grab debris in space! With Patrick Aryee. For more ...
07.08.2019 Spider and rescue robot Meet the spider-inspired robot that one day might just save your life. Based on how spiders move, it could get to places too difficult for a rescue team to access. Just like our eight-legged friends, it can squeeze around obstacles ...
07.01.2019 Shark and hospital surfaces Millions of ridged scales make it difficult for bacteria to attach to the skin of a shark. Can we reduce infections and fight superbugs in a similar way? Have a look at our beautiful animation to see how the shark’s ...
06.24.2019 Albatross and drone Imagine a drone that can fly like the Wandering Albatross. The huge bird harnesses power from the wind and sun and glides over the sea. It is extraordinary. And an engineer has designed a robotic glider that can also ride ...
06.17.2019 Stenocara beetle and water collector It performs headstands in a desert; now this beetle is teaching us how to collect water. The Stenocara beetle survives in one of the most arid places in the world – the Namib Desert in southern Africa. Scientists have been ...

Older episodes

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

What's 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter episodes:

Insects and mobile phone

Butterfly and eye implant

Slug and surgical glue

Dragonfly and sky spy

Kingfisher and soil erosion

Bees and fast deliveries

Jellyfish and underwater robot

Polar bear and insulation

Electric eels and medical implants

Camel and desert architecture

Lobsters and space telescopes

Pangolins and Waterloo Station

Ants and mini robots

Horseshoe crabs and vaccines

Arapaima fish and armour

Barn owl and drone

Manta ray and pollution solution

Cicada and safe surfaces

Cats and road safety

Octopus and transplants

Rose butterfly and solar panels

Sponge and skyscraper

Cow and sewage treatment

Snake and rescue robot

Mantis shrimp and aircraft

Wasp and keyhole surgery

Hedgehog and helmet

Camel and cool medicines

Squid and self-healing materials

Elephant and robotic arm

Season 2 is coming soon!

30 Animals LIVE

Spider and remote sensing

Butterfly and paints

Peacock and computer screen

Ant and networks

Mussel and foetal surgery

Butterfly and butterfly house

Dolphin and tsunami detector

Bat and robot

Fish schools and windfarm

Bombardier beetle and fuel injection

Bat and unassisted flight

Spider and window glass

Whale and wind turbine

Gecko and adhesives

Spider and rescue robot

Shark and hospital surfaces

Albatross and drone

Stenocara beetle and water collector