Learning from Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast with Lily Urmann

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 Grab your Learning from Nature merch! Follow Lily on Instagram: @lilylearnsfromnature 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. Support the Show.

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. Support the Show.

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. Support the Show.

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.

A fun fact for your next party conversation: humans have over 30 trillion cells in our bodies, and 70-90% of those cells are bacterial and fungal! Look no further than exploring the microbiomes of biology when you need your next existential crisis -- or next rabbit hole of fascination to dive into. While mucus and the microbiome might not be the classic poster-child of biomimicry, there is so much we can learn from these elegant, strange, and efficient strategies. Erin Miller discusses the power of a beginner mindset, companies leading the way in developing applications, and curiosity-driven learning. Support the Show.

Many of us are either afraid of or avoid chemistry simply because of the way we were taught the topic in school. Yet chemistry is all around us: in the leaves of your backyard tree and the snail inching along the sidewalk. It's also a crucial component to the practice of biomimicry. In this episode, explore the topic of green chemistry with one of its founding members: Dr. John Warner. Nature runs on sunlight, breaks down products into benign constituents, builds selectively with a small subset of elements, and does chemistry in water. It's beautiful and elegant. Yet most of the chemicals we use to make our products, create our designs, and even add to the food we eat are toxic for the planet and our bodies. We have a lot to learn from nature's time-tested and life-friendly chemistry! Support the Show.

If you've ever sat on the forest floor marveling at a beautiful red or purple mushroom, this episode is for you! My guest and fellow biomimic Ximena Curiel will dive deep into what mushrooms are, why they are different colors, what the purposes of these colors are in nature, and explain how we can use these pigments in sustainable dyeing, artwork, and clothing. It's a fun journey of discovery, wonder, and awe that will have you gathering your foraging books and calling your friends to go look for some of these incredible organisms near you. Support the Show.

Our buildings use A LOT of energy to heat and cool, and because of this they contribute drastically to global carbon emissions. But what if we borrowed design inspiration from the amazing ability of squids to shift colors and control light in order to reduce or eliminate excess energy needs? In this episode with Raphael Kay, explore how these underwater creatures are so efficient and what strategies we can translate to our built environment. We also discuss why practicing meaningful biomimicry is needed now more than ever, and how cross-disciplinary research is a pathway to a life-friendly future. This full hour episode is well worth your time! Support the Show.

Our world is full of intricate, complex, and elegant strategies. In this episode we explore one such strategy that might surprise you: the decision-making sneezes of African wild dogs. Explore this unique topic with Ebenezar Wikina, founder of Policy Shapers and campaign strategist at Change.org, who completed his Learn Biomimicry practitioner's project on applying this sneeze democracy to the United Nations. The potential of learning from nature's efficient systems can be applied in a wide range of sectors: and this is a wonderful example that will leave you hopeful and inspired! Support the Show.

Honeycomb and the hexagon shape is very popular in the biomimicry design space, but what makes it efficient and resilient? In this episode, Dr. Clint Penick dives deep into the function of optimizing space and managing compression, as it relates to bee and wasp nests. There is so much more to the honeycomb shape than most people initially realize, and this conversation sheds light on some of the details behind this "genius" in the natural world. We also chat about urban ecology, social insects, the importance of collaborative research, and so much more. Support the Show.

In biomimicry, function is the bridge between nature and design. We ultimately want to ask "How does Nature ___?" in order to match our challenge and context with nature's genius range of strategies for the same challenge. In this new series, we will be exploring what function is and why it's important. Dr. Dayna Baumeister is a global leader in the biomimicry space: she is the Co-Founder of Biomimicry 3.8, the Co-Director at ASU's Biomimicry Center, author of the Biomimicry Resource Handbook, speaker, teacher, and force of nature. Dr. Baumeister gives an overview of function as it relates to biomimicry and showcases how it's used with her projects for clients in the consulting realm and beyond. We share insights for how to start thinking like a biomimic, why it's so important to find the right function, and the power of a functional perspective. Support the Show.

A relatively small, yet committed group of individuals CAN radically shift a system. But how do we get there? And what does that future look like? In this episode, join Jamie Miller, Director of Biomimicry at B+H Architects and President of Biomimicry Frontiers as he explains what this practice looks like in the application space, and how you too can help shape a collective and hopeful future. Jamie has almost two decades of leadership in this field and will share his insights on finding your niche, integrating biomimicry on a deeper level, and carving out a career that will fuel your soul. Support the Show.

How is biomimicry related to what we eat, or the ways that we connect to a place? Listen in to learn from Sara El Sayed, Co-Director of The Biomimicry Center and Assistant Research Professor at the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University. We will explore and explain Life's Principles: 26 deep patterns that govern all of life on Earth, and an incredible tool to measure how life-friendly a design is. Sara beautifully weaves this methodology with Traditional Ecological Knowledge as it relates to our food system. Together, these practices and perspectives can help us build a healthy future for not only humans, but the ecosystems in which we live and the organisms that share our home with us. Support the Show.

Natural History is ultimately the practice of falling in love with the world, and is a powerful gateway to biomimicry. We are all born with an innate curiosity for nature, and practices like these can re-ignite that inquiry, inspiration, and love. In this episode, hear from Tom Fleischner, a naturalist and conservation biologist who was the founding Executive Director of the Natural History Institute in Prescott, Arizona, and is Faculty Emeritus at Prescott College, where he taught interdisciplinary Environmental Studies for 29 years. Join us in conversation to hear why natural history is so important now more than ever, and how it can be a tool to help heal the world. Support the Show.

We are at a crossroads. One direction takes us down the path of extraction, destruction, and greed. The other leads us to regeneration, resilience, and love. Giselle Carr is building a future on the later with her life-centered company Stardust, based in Trinidad and Tobago. The realm of Life-Centered Design includes biomimicry but also incorporates a broader focus on any product, design, or process that not only is based on nature but intentionally centers all life. Listen in to hear how Giselle is applying this practice to projects globally, and how she is crafting a career where her passions align with what the world needs in this moment. Support the Show.

The average American spends over 80% of their time inside. How do we begin to reconnect with Nature on a deeper level and create a future where Nature is centered in our built environment and technology? Biophilia is the human tendency to interact or be closely associated with forms of life in Nature. In this episode, Tim McGee outlines how he integrates biophilia and biomimicry into his career and discusses what it takes to make a bio-inspired idea a reality. In his years of experience being a leader in this field and working closely with a collection of large clients, Tim is able to shed light on what these practices look like and how we can further push the boundaries of our current systems in order to live in harmony on our home -- that is not ours alone. Support the Show.

All of the organisms that we share our planet have to adapt to change in order to survive. Superorganisms -- termites, honeybees, fungi to name a few -- are a great example of resiliency and success in the natural world. Dr. Tamsin is an evolutionary anthropologist, biomimicry pioneer, and author of TEEMING: How Nature's Oldest Teams Adapt and Thrive. Join Lily and Dr. Tamsin in a conversation of how we can translate strategies from superorganisms to businesses, what it means to implement biomimicry at the process and systems level, and how this practice brings hope for our future. Support the Show.

AskNature.org is an incredible platform developed by the Biomimicry Institute that showcases a collection of biological strategies and a growing number of innovations inspired by them. Join Andrew Howley, the chief editor of AskNature, as he explains how to use this resource, the importance of understanding how nature works, and ways to explore connections between us and our neighbors on Planet Earth. Whether you are totally new to biomimicry or have been practicing for years, AskNature can be a crucial tool for your journey! Support the Show.

Have you ever wondered how you can begin your biomimicry journey? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Laura Lee Stevens and we chat about her own biomimicry education journey, why introducing students to this practice is so important, and what programs could be a good fit for you too. This informative conversation sets the stage for what it looks like to practice and teach biomimicry. (Resources mentioned: iSites Journal and "Analogical Reasoning in Biomimicry Design Education") Support the Show.