Introduction

Abstract

Since humans first walked the Earth they have used structural materials derived from Nature to make tools, weapons, textiles, and dwellings. Even in ancient times there was recognition that Nature offered more than just an abundant source of materials; it offered ideas. Looking at how Nature solved a problem may have helped early inventors solve countless problems related, for instance, to building a boat, making a shield, or constructing a house. One of history’s great inventors, Leonardo da Vinci, is famous for his studies of living forms and for his inventions, which were often based on ideas derived from Nature.1 The lessons learned by da Vinci and others were, of course, not always successful, as seen in the countless efforts throughout the ages by humans to fly like a bird. Nonetheless, these are the origins of human’s seeking to solve problems by mimicking Nature. In modern terms we tend to call this field “biomimetics,” which essentially means we are seeking to replicate some or all of the features of a biological system. This is of huge importance in medicine where biomimetic solutions are used to treat a range of diseases and conditions. It is known, for instance, that various materials (often derived from Nature) have been used to mimic the form and function of teeth for millennia.2 In medicine our understanding of the human body’s anatomy and physiology has greatly improved over the past 100 years. This has led to dramatic improvements in our ability to replicate the form and function of human tissues using artificial materials. In the latter half of the 20th century, this ability to replicate human tissue has been the most striking advance in biomimetics. The approximate development of biomimetics over the course of human history is shown schematically in Fig. 1.