Learning from Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast with Lily Urmann

The Biomimicry Institute's Launchpad program supports scientists and designers who are addressing some of our biggest challenges with nature-inspired ideas. Every year, a cohort of innovators from around the world comes together to learn from each other and receive guidance and inspiration through mentoring, networking, and community-building. Dave Hutchins is the Launchpad Program Manager and dives into what it takes to get a biomimetic product to the next stage and the pathways that The Biomimicry Institute offers for folks who are in this space. Dave is an engineer, entrepreneur, creator, and educator who is passionate about expanding and deepening the biomimicry ecosystem. Whether you are pursuing a project or just want to peek behind the curtain, listen in for some motivation and a good dose of hope! 

Explore The Launchpad.
Learn more about The Biomimicry Institute.
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If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Gain the skills to apply 3.8 billion years of research and development to your business, projects, and daily life.

Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link.


Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

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Humans view waste as a burden, but nature utilizes waste as a valuable resource in a cycle of continual renewal. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates 600 million tons of construction and demolition debris is generated every year -- and Mycocycle knows this is an opportunity. Joanne Rodriguez discusses how Mycocycle leverages mycelium (fungal root structures) to consume and eliminate toxins from construction waste and produce raw building materials like MycoFILL, MycoFIBER, and MycoFOAM. Imagine a world where we can safely break down harmful materials, or eliminate the need for those materials in the first place. This impactful bio-inspired company is showing what's possible on the pathway to a truly regenerative future.

Explore Mycocycle.
Reach the TechCrunch article.
Grab some Learning from Nature merch including shirts and sweatshirts.

If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Gain the skills to apply 3.8 billion years of research and development to your business, projects, and daily life.

Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link.


Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

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Our coastlines are crucial buffer zones for climate chaos. Yet the current building strategies for concrete coastal marine construction can lead to low biodiversity, which impacts ecosystem health and water quality. ECOncrete's technology involves texture agents and molds that increase biological performance by creating a macro-surface that encourages organisms to colonize. This innovative company has implemented more than a dozen large-scale projects globally and is expanding rapidly as demand increases. By turning to nature for inspiration, we can adapt to the changing climate while also benefiting marine ecosystems globally.

Explore ECOncrete
Grab some Learning from Nature merch including shirts and sweatshirts.

If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Gain the skills to apply 3.8 billion years of research and development to your business, projects, and daily life.

Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link.


Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

Support the show

Globally, more than 1.6 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year -- and in India, 40% of produce goes to waste before it even reaches grocery store shelves. By learning from plant protection mechanisms, Deepak Rajmohan of GreenPod Labs has developed a solution: using natural plant extracts to activate those built-in defenses. The simple yet effective solution is a satchel that can be dropped into produce transportation to slow down the ripening rate and limit microbial growth. All at ambient temperature with no toxic chemicals or extra plastic packaging. Listen in to hear how GreenPod Labs is making an impact in the market and on our planet. This episode will share a behind the scenes look into the biomimicry process and hopefully reveal that this practice is not only possible, but it's happening!

Explore GreenPod Labs.
Watch the innovation highlight video from World Economic Forum.
Grab some Learning from Nature merch including shirts and sweatshirts.

If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Gain the skills to apply 3.8 billion years of research and development to your business, projects, and daily life.

Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link.


Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

Support the show

The ideal adventure apparel is both waterproof and breathable. Yet the tragic irony for outdoor enthusiasts is how toxic and wasteful the current clothing and gear options there are on the market. That's where Amphico comes in: a UK-based biomimicry company learning from waterproofing strategies in nature to create options without harmful chemicals while also eliminating the excessive waste. Isabella MacKenzie, the Lead Color and Textile Designer at Amphico, discusses their novel material and how they are accomplishing functionality without compromising human or environmental health. This episode will share a behind the scenes look into the biomimicry process and hopefully reveal that this practice is not only possible, but it's happening!

Explore Amphico and the new technology "Amphitex".
Read an article by Isabella MacKenzie to learn more.
Grab some Learning from Nature merch including shirts and sweatshirts.

If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Gain the skills to apply 3.8 billion years of research and development to your business, projects, and daily life.

Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link. 


Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

Support the show

It's on every continent, and in every terrestrial ecosystem. It's beneath our feet on most hikes and it's often overlooked: lichens! In this episode, Dr. Troy McMullin, the chief lichenologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature, gives an insightful overview of what lichens are, describes their many interesting strategies, and shares why you should care. We dive into their unique symbiotic partnership, their range of amazing structures, and how they are an important part of our future here on Earth. Grab a jeweler's loupe, put on your adventure shoes, and immerse yourself in a tiny world of awe and wonder.

Troy McMullin Biography
Lichens: The Macrolichens of Ontario and the Great Lakes Region of the United States
The Secret World of Lichens: A Young Naturalist's Guide

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Follow Lily on Instagram: @lilylearnsfromnature

If you want to begin your own learning from nature journey, take a course from Learn Biomimicry. Listeners can save 20% on the Biomimicry Short Course Set, and 10% on the Biomimicry Practitioner and Educator Program with code LEARNINGFROMNATURE or by visiting this link.
 
Thank you Pine Peak Productions for helping to evolve Learning from Nature to the next level! 

Support the show

In the fourth episode of our limited series Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Biomimicry and Indigenous Science Harmonize?, Roxanne Swentzell and Anne LaForti engage in a conversation hosted by Sara El-Sayed, converging Indigenous ideologies and scientific understanding of soils, seeds, regenerative versus sustainable terminologies, and steps to healing ourselves and our ecosystems. This limited series is produced by The Cultural Conservancy's Native Seed Pod, Arizona State University, and Learning From Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast, with music and soundscapes by Colin Farish.

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In the third episode of our limited series Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Biomimicry and Indigenous Science Harmonize?, PennElys Droz and Maibritt Pederson Zari  engage in conversation hosted by Lily Urmann, exploring cosmologies, paradigm shifts and how to be in good relationship while we co-create and design as humans within creation. They outline principles of regenerative design in communities, and how we all might engage in decolonization as well as learn from Indigenous ecological relationships. This limited series is produced by The Cultural Conservancy'sNative Seed Pod, Arizona State University, and Learning From Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast, with music and soundscapes by Colin Farish.

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In this second episode of the limited series Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Biomimicry and Indigenous Science Harmonize?, Dayna Baumeister and Melissa K Nelson continue their conversation, hosted by Sara El-Sayed, exploring the common ground and mapping the divergences between Indigenous science and biomimicry. They dive into the nature of biomimicry and Indigenous knowledges and how they are often misconstrued by non-practitioners; potential ethical limits to seeking knowledge; and an ethical space of engagement for biomimicry practitioners and Indigenous knowledge-holders. This limited series is produced by The Cultural Conservancy's Native Seed Pod, Arizona State University, and Learning From Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast, with music and soundscapes by Colin Farish.

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In this inaugural episode of the limited series Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Biomimicry and Indigenous Science Harmonize?, Dayna Baumeister joins Melissa K. Nelson and Sara El-Sayed in a conversation exploring the common ground and mapping the divergences between Indigenous science and biomimicry.

SERIES SYNOPSIS
Biomimicry, nature-inspired design, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), or Indigenous Knowledge Systems, both have roots in nature and a deep respect for natural processes. However, the two fields have different worldviews: biomimicry is oriented from a Western science perspective, while TEK emerges from Indigenous, spiritual, and cosmological worldviews. With a common source of inspiration, professionals in both fields recognize the potential for collaboration, yet no formal efforts or conversations in this realm have been published for a wide audience. This podcast series, Knowledge Symbiosis: Can Biomimicry and Indigenous Science Harmonize? invites dialogue from both perspectives—practitioners in biomimicry, and elders, practitioners, and Indigenous scholars—so we might better understand each other and explore opportunities to weave these learnings. Five episodes will be available on The Native Seed Pod and Learning From Nature:The Biomimicry Podcast for listeners to tune in and reflect. The episodes are hosted in rotation by Dr. Melissa Nelson, Dr. Sara El-Sayed, and Lily Urmann, and feature conversations between Kim Tall Bear, Janine Benyus, Dayna Baumeister, PennElys Droz, Maibritt Pederson,  Anne LaForti, and Roxanne Swentzell. These conversations delve into the ethics of science, human-nature connection, regenerative design, and our relationship to all other kin on this planet. This limited series is produced by The Cultural Conservancy's Native Seed Pod, Arizona State University, and Learning From Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast, with music and soundscapes by Colin Farish.

Support the show