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Media Release

May 12 2006

Life Imitating Nature

Bullet Trains inspired by birds? Self-cleaning paint from the lotus flower? Building designs from termite mounds?

Welcome to the world of Biomimicry, a new science that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates them to solve human problems.

Janine Benyus, the world’s leading expert in the field and author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, will give a free public lecture in Adelaide next week at the University of South Australia.

Biomimicry: seeking sustainable solutions by emulating Nature’s living examples, supported by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at UniSA, looks at how “doing it nature’s way” has the potential to change the way we grow food, make materials, harness energy, heal ourselves, store information and conduct business.

“Animals, plants, and microbes have been perfecting their wares for 3.8 billion years. After all this R&D, nature knows what works, what is appropriate, and what lasts,” Benyus said.

Elizabeth Ho, Director of the Hawke Centre, said Janine Benyus has brought together work done by scientists, engineers and designers seeking sustainable solutions to real world problems.

“This cross-disciplinary focus is one of the special attractions of her presentation, as well as the fact that she is geared to educating a wide cross section of the community,” Ho said.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the Natural Edge Project, the State Government and UniSA’s Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment to present this truly fascinating topic and expert speaker in Adelaide and hope that it may stimulate new areas of research and development into the future.”

During her Australian tour, Janine Benyus will also conduct closed sessions with various business, industry, non-profit and government bodies on how to implement Biomimicry.

Biomimicry: seeking sustainable solutions by emulating Nature’s living examples
6.30pm, Thursday May 18
Mutual Community Theatre (H2-02), Basil Hetzel Building
UniSA City East Campus
Bookings at www.hawkecentre.unisa.edu.au or RSVP line 8302 0215

Part of the Innovation Inspired by Nature Australian Series organised by The Natural Edge Project www.naturaledgeproject.net in collaboration with the Government of South Australia and UniSA

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