15 Human Technologies Inspired by Plants and Animals: How Biomimicry Is Shaping the Future

Direct comparison of the Kingfisher's beak and the Bullet Train nose cone.

15. Bamboo and Plant Structures — Earthquake-Resistant Design

Bamboo’s segmented, lightweight structure inspiring resilient construction.

Bamboo is lightweight yet extremely strong due to its flexible, hollow, segmented structure. Engineers study these properties to design:

  • Earthquake-resistant buildings
  • Lightweight bridges
  • Strong but flexible materials
  • Sustainable architectural frameworks

Many skyscrapers use plant-inspired structural patterns to improve stability while reducing material use.