#bioinspiration

[jcmarchi]

Unlocking the secrets of natural materials

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/unlocking-the-secrets-of-natural-materials/

Unlocking the secrets of natural materials

Growing up in Milan, Benedetto Marelli liked figuring out how things worked. He repaired broken devices simply to have the opportunity to take them apart and put them together again. Also, from a young age, he had a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world. Enrolling at the Polytechnic University of Milan, he chose to study engineering.

“Engineering seemed like the right fit to fulfill my passions at the intersection of discovering how the world works, together with understanding the rules of nature and harnessing this knowledge to create something new that could positively impact our society,” says Marelli, MIT’s Paul M. Cook Career Development Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Marelli decided to focus on biomedical engineering, which at the time was the closest thing available to biological engineering. “I liked the idea of pursuing studies that provided me a background to engineer life,” in order to improve human health and agriculture, he says.

Marelli went on to earn a PhD in materials science and engineering at McGill University and then worked in Tufts University’s biomaterials Silklab as a postdoc. After his postdoc, Marelli was drawn to MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental in large part because of the work of Markus Buehler, MIT’s McAfee Professor of Engineering, who studies how to design new materials by understanding the architecture of natural ones.

“This resonated with my training and idea of using nature’s building blocks to build a more sustainable society,” Marelli says. “It was a big leap forward for me to go from biomedical engineering to civil and environmental engineering. It meant completely changing my community, understanding what I could teach and how to mentor students in a new engineering branch. As Markus is working with silk to study how to engineer better materials, this made me see a clear connection with what I was doing and what I could be doing. I consider him one of my mentors here at MIT and was fortunate to end up collaborating with him.”

Marelli’s research is aimed at mitigating several pressing global problems, he says.

“Boosting food production to provide food security to an ever-increasing population, soil restoration, decreasing the environmental impact of fertilizers, and addressing stressors coming from climate change are societal challenges that need the development of rapidly scalable and deployable technologies,” he says.

Marelli and his fellow researchers have developed coatings derived from natural silk that extend the shelf life of food, deliver biofertilizers to seeds planted in salty, unproductive soils, and allow seeds to establish healthier plants and increase crop yield in drought-stricken lands. The technologies have performed well in field tests being conducted in Morocco in collaboration with the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir, according to Marelli, and offer much potential.

“I believe that with this technology, together with the common efforts shared by the MIT PIs participating in the Climate Grand Challenge on Revolutionizing Agriculture, we have a  real opportunity to positively impact planetary health and find new solutions that work in both rural settings and highly modernized agricultural fields,” says Marelli, who recently earned tenure.

As a researcher and entrepreneur with about 20 patents to his name and awards including a National Science Foundation CAREER award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers award, and the Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, Marelli says that in general his insights into structural proteins — and how to use that understanding to manufacture advanced materials at multiple scales — are among his proudest achievements.

More specifically, Marelli cites one of his breakthroughs involving a strawberry. Having dipped the berry in an odorless, tasteless edible silk suspension as part of a cooking contest held in his postdoctoral lab, he accidentally left it on his bench, only to find a week or so later that it had been well-preserved.

“The coating of the strawberry to increase its shelf life is difficult to beat when it comes to inspiring people that natural polymers can serve as technical materials that can positively impact our society” by lessening food waste and the need for energy-intensive refrigerated shipping, Marelli says.

When Marelli won the BioInnovation Institute and Science Prize for Innovation in 2022, he told the journal Science that he thinks students should be encouraged to choose an entrepreneurial path. He acknowledged the steepness of the learning curve of being an entrepreneur but also pointed out how the impact of research can be exponentially increased.

He expanded on this idea more recently.

“I believe an increasing number of academics and graduate students should try to get their hands ‘dirty’ with entrepreneurial efforts. We live in a time where academics are called to have a tangible impact on our society, and translating what we study in our labs is clearly a good way to employ our students and enhance the global effort to develop new technology that can make our society more sustainable and equitable,” Marelli says.

Referring to a spinoff company, Mori, that grew out of the coated strawberry discovery and that develops silk-based products to preserve a wide range of perishable foods, Marelli says he finds it very satisfying to know that Mori has a product on the market that came out of his research efforts — and that 80 people are working to translate the discovery from “lab to fork.”

“Knowing that the technology can move the needle in crises such as food waste and food-related environmental impact is the highest reward of all,” he says.

Marelli says he tells students who are seeking solutions to extremely complicated problems to come up with one solution, “however crazy it might be,” and then do an extensive literature review to see what other researchers have done and whether “there is any hint that points toward developing their solution.”

“Once we understand the feasibility, I typically work with them to simplify it as much as we can, and then to break down the problem in small parts that are addressable in series and/or in parallel,” Marelli says.

That process of discovery is ongoing. Asked which of his technologies will have the greatest impact on the world, Marelli says, “I’d like to think it’s the ones that still need to be discovered.”

[greentechspot]

Bioinspiration in Ocean Conservation: Learning from Nature's Solutions

Nature has been honing its strategies for millions of years, adapting to the challenges of the natural world. In the realm of ocean conservation, scientists and researchers are increasingly turning to nature for inspiration, seeking innovative solutions derived from marine organisms and ecosystems. This approach, known as bioinspiration or biomimicry, holds tremendous potential for addressing the…

[sitographie-aa]

• BIOINSPIRATION / BIOMIMÉTISME

Exposition "Mimèsis. Un design du vivant" - Centre Pompidou Metz (2022-23)

Exposition "La fabrique du vivant" - Centre Pompidou Paris (2019)

Ceebios - Centre d'études et d'expertises en biomimétisme

article sur Le Monde.fr : Le biomimétisme, ou comment s'inspirer de la nature plutôt que la détruire (2016)

Bioinspire-Muséum

5 technologies françaises innovantes inspirées par le biomimétisme (article, 2022)

Bold Threads (matériaux inspirés par la nature)

Biobased Creations (studio de création spécialisé dans les installations, les projets et la narration sur la transition vers un monde régénérateur et circulaire)

[aralillie]

biographys.

I. [ 𝒮acrilegi̲o̲s̲ ] — 𝒟i𝐚b𝑜𝓁icusㅤׄℳortem𝇃𝇂

❛ㅤp𝑔.‹ 𝐈nfame ’Яojā ›ㅤℳemoria d𝑒١⥐ㅤuna luna p͟e͟c͟a͟d͟o͟ra (ㅤ @Bvymoon'𝓈ㅤ) ᥱᥒvueᥣta ▭ en llαmαʂ, PRO—CUR 𝆜 𝒮ilenci̲o̲sㅤ▔ 𝘥𝑒 a��oni͟caㅤ𝑜bse.sióᥒ.

𝐗͟V 𝒮𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝑎'𝑠 𝐈𝐈. Brūthal. 𝐄p: 𝓘𝐈: 𝟎𝟑 𝙼𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚗𝑜’𝓈

II. ﹙𝘗𝘳𝘦﹚𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘴ㅤ៹ㅤd𝑒⠀𝑺𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦ㅤ

⠀ ℳientras⠀⠀DOBLEGÓ⠀ ⠀mí⠀⠀—⠀ 𝓐lma @/usser ⠀⠀𝓃.⠀E͟𝗇⠀LLENO⠀desasosiego Confund𝑒⠀ mí⠀ testa⠀﹙ ⠀@/USSER ´𝓼⠀﹚

III. 𝒱𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗈𝗌 ˒ 𝖽𝖾 𝗎𝗇 𝑎𝑚𝗈̂𝗋

苦 ⠀ 𝔰𝖺𝗇—𝗀𝗋𝖾 ͟ ͟ ͟ ˌ ⠀` ⠀ 𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗋𝖺̂𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖺

⠀⠀▍║ ❘❘❘❘❙⠀:⠀ ◖⠀𝐒u ⎯⎯sur͟r͟os ⠀曇 ⠀⌥ ⠀𝑫𝖾𝗌𝖺 ‛⠀𝒻𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗌⠀ ⑇⠀⠀ 𝕺̀s͟c͟u͟r͟i͟d͟âd ⁹ « @/usser »⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ▎@/usser `𝓈

⠀⠀ IV.

𝓐͟𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗏𝖾samos﹙ ruinas ﹚ 𝒸on pies f𝗂𝗋𝗆𝖾𝗌 y 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝗂𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗈𝗌, 𝖻𝖺𝗃𝗈 ūn c𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑜 𝖾͟𝗇͟𝖿͟𝖾͟𝗋͟𝗆͟𝗈͟ ， pero con el 𝑎͟𝑙͟𝑚͟𝑎 íntegra. 𝓩etho've.

V. ❲ㅤ༖  ᨈ    𝔩𝗎𝗀𝖺𝗋 ‌ ...   s𝓵‌ i𝗇     𝕣uؐؒ֘𝗆͟𝖻͟𝗈͟.ㅤ𝟿𝟽˳

ᙃꮻꮯꮖꮮꭼ，⠀⠀ 𝒅 𝒆 𝒓 𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔⠀⠀⠀▬▭ ⠀𝄒𝄒 ⠀ 㙜̲‑㘜⠀ ⠀ ᥫ᭡ ⠀ 𝓒𝗋𝗒⠀⠀⚟⠀⠀𝒛𝕖𝓁 ⒒⠀⠀ ☶͟ ⠀ 𝗈͟𝗅͟𝖾𝑎𝖽͟𝖺͟𝗌⠀ ⠀ྐ𑣿 ཫ ⠀⠀ ꮋ𝖆𝖘𝐭𝐚 ⠀⠀ ݇ ݈ 𓏧 ⠀⠀⠀ 𝗺͟𝗼⠀͟ ꭱ͟ꮖ͟ꭱ⠀ ⠀ ﹠̲ ⠀𝒏𝑒𝓇

(BONUS)

個  :    𝓔𝓵⠀┉┈  𝐜𝐨́𝐦𝐨    𝓵ꭺ⠀« 𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔 »   𝒽𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗈𝗌𝖺  𝑓𝑟𝑖̨𝑎'ℯ    🃌    #i͟n͟a͟l͟c͟a͟n͟𔕴z͟a͟b͟l͟e͟  𝑄𝗎𝖾   𝚎𝚗   𝗌u  ℘𝖺𝗌𝗂͡𝗈𝗇       𝗆𝖾     。   𝗉𝖾𝗋͟͟͟𝖽𝗂̀𝗈.

[michaelgabrill]

Developing High-Performance Bioinspired Surface Textures for RepellingLunar Dust

ESI24 Zou Quadchart Min ZouUniversity of Arkansas, Fayetteville Lunar dust, with its highly abrasive and electrostatic properties, poses serious threats to the longevity and functionality of spacecraft, habitats, and equipment operating on the Moon. This project aims to develop advanced bioinspired surface textures that effectively repel lunar dust, targeting critical surfaces such as habitat exteriors, […] from NASA https://ift.tt/Q5Wva6x

[biophotonicsresearch]

"Bio-Inspired MEMS/NEMS Sensors" #sciencefather #biophotonics #science

[mindblowingscience]

Scientists have developed a bioinspired yarn capable of harvesting water from fog, providing an innovative solution to water scarcity in arid regions. By imitating the alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic patterns seen in desert beetles and the water-transporting abilities of micro/nanoscale one-dimensional spider silk, this double-strand yarn accelerates droplet formation, offering a promising approach to tackling the global water crisis.

Continue Reading.

[leotide]

Bringing back the little infographics again 🦎

We always hear little chirping noises coming from the roof, but we rarely get to see which type(s) of geckos we have hiding up there....

I started thinking more about them and their features so I thought I'd share my findings 😊  Enjoy!

インフォグラフィックを戻ってきた 🦎 ��日屋根のなかに小さくさえずるを聞こえるけど、なにもみえない。どんなヤモリがいますか？

いつもかんがえる。そして、このインフォグラフィックがある。お楽しみください!

Relevant links to interesting papers here: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Simplified-three-dimensional-model-provides-in-as-Amorim-Travnik/856e592b3cf45a98be2b67a0927c51a399a406e7/ https://nyuad.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyuad/academics/divisions/engineering/lizard-tail/bioinspired-lizard-robot.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-21526-3

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Researchers develop innovative method to simplify manufacturing process of cellular ceramic

A study led by the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed an innovative method that overcomes the limitations of traditional additive manufacturing (3D printing), significantly simplifying and accelerating the production of geometrically complex cellular ceramics. This approach has the potential to revolutionize the design and processing of multifarious ceramic materials, opening up new possibilities for new applications in energy, electronics, and biomedicine, including robotics, solar cells, sensors, battery electrodes, and bactericidal devices. The study titled "A Bioinspired Surface Tension-Driven Route Toward Programmed Cellular Ceramics," is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Read more.

[mbari-blog]

MBARI's Bioinspiration Lab is finding inspiration for new technology in deep-sea animals 🤖⁠

Scientists have explored just a fraction of the deep sea. We still have a lot of questions about the animals that call these midnight waters their home. MBARI’s cutting-edge technology gives researchers a front row seat to the astonishing diversity of life in the deep sea. Our Bioinspiration Lab, led by bioengineer Kakani Katija, is developing groundbreaking tools to view deep-sea animals in their natural environment. 

Bringing the laboratory into the ocean gives Kakani and her team a close-up look at delicate jellies and intricate corals. The team's innovative imaging tools reveal how deep-sea animals move, feed, and interact with each other. We're learning more about the important role of marine life in ocean health and climate. 

By observing the creative adaptations that animals have for surviving in a cold, dark, and watery world, Kakani and her team also hope to help find novel solutions to some of the world’s biggest engineering challenges.

Nature has found creative solutions to engineering problems. Deep-sea animals may inspire new technology for energy generation, transportation, and materials science. Kakani and her team believe bioinspired design offers a world of new possibilities for technology. 

Learn more about the Bioinspiration Lab and their work on our website.

[jcmarchi]

A bioinspired capsule can pump drugs directly into the walls of the GI tract

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/a-bioinspired-capsule-can-pump-drugs-directly-into-the-walls-of-the-gi-tract/

A bioinspired capsule can pump drugs directly into the walls of the GI tract

Inspired by the way that squids use jets to propel themselves through the ocean and shoot ink clouds, researchers from MIT and Novo Nordisk have developed an ingestible capsule that releases a burst of drugs directly into the wall of the stomach or other organs of the digestive tract.

This capsule could offer an alternative way to deliver drugs that normally have to be injected, such as insulin and other large proteins, including antibodies. This needle-free strategy could also be used to deliver RNA, either as a vaccine or a therapeutic molecule to treat diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic disorders.

“One of the longstanding challenges that we’ve been exploring is the development of systems that enable the oral delivery of macromolecules that usually require an injection to be administered. This work represents one of the next major advances in that progression,” says Giovanni Traverso, director of the Laboratory for Translational Engineering and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an associate member of the Broad Institute, and the senior author of the study.

Play video

Traverso and his students at MIT developed the new capsule along with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Novo Nordisk. Graham Arrick SM ’20 and Novo Nordisk scientists Drago Sticker and Aghiad Ghazal are the lead authors of the paper, which appears today in Nature.

Inspired by cephalopods

Drugs that consist of large proteins or RNA typically can’t be taken orally because they are easily broken down in the digestive tract. For several years, Traverso’s lab has been working on ways to deliver such drugs orally by encapsulating them in small devices that protect the drugs from degradation and then inject them directly into the lining of the digestive tract.

Most of these capsules use a small needle or set of microneedles to deliver drugs once the device arrives in the digestive tract. In the new study, Traverso and his colleagues wanted to explore ways to deliver these molecules without any kind of needle, which could reduce the possibility of any damage to the tissue.

To achieve that, they took inspiration from cephalopods. Squids and octopuses can propel themselves by filling their mantle cavity with water, then rapidly expelling it through their siphon. By changing the force of water expulsion and pointing the siphon in different directions, the animals can control their speed and direction of travel. The siphon organ also allows cephalopods to shoot jets of ink, forming decoy clouds to distract predators.

The researchers came up with two ways to mimic this jetting action, using compressed carbon dioxide or tightly coiled springs to generate the force needed to propel liquid drugs out of the capsule. The gas or spring is kept in a compressed state by a carbohydrate trigger, which is designed to dissolve when exposed to humidity or an acidic environment such as the stomach. When the trigger dissolves, the gas or spring is allowed to expand, propelling a jet of drugs out of the capsule.

In a series of experiments using tissue from the digestive tract, the researchers calculated the pressures needed to expel the drugs with enough force that they would penetrate the submucosal tissue and accumulate there, creating a depot that would then release drugs into the tissue.

“Aside from the elimination of sharps, another potential advantage of high-velocity columnated jets is their robustness to localization issues. In contrast to a small needle, which needs to have intimate contact with the tissue, our experiments indicated that a jet may be able to deliver most of the dose from a distance or at a slight angle,” Arrick says.

The researchers also designed the capsules so that they can target different parts of the digestive tract. One version of the capsule, which has a flat bottom and a high dome, can sit on a surface, such as the lining of the stomach, and eject drug downward into the tissue. This capsule, which was inspired by previous research from Traverso’s lab on self-orienting capsules, is about the size of a blueberry and can carry 80 microliters of drug.

The second version has a tube-like shape that allows it to align itself within a long tubular organ such as the esophagus or small intestine. In that case, the drug is ejected out toward the side wall, rather than downward. This version can deliver 200 microliters of drug.

Made of metal and plastic, the capsules can pass through the digestive tract and are excreted after releasing their drug payload.

Needle-free drug delivery

In tests in animals, the researchers showed that they could use these capsules to deliver insulin, a GLP-1 receptor agonist similar to the diabetes drug Ozempic, and a type of RNA called short interfering RNA (siRNA). This type of RNA can be used to silence genes, making it potentially useful in treating many genetic disorders.

They also showed that the concentration of the drugs in the animals’ bloodstream reached levels on the same order of magnitude as those seen when the drugs were injected with a syringe, and they did not detect any tissue damage.

The researchers envision that the ingestible capsule could be used at home by patients who need to take insulin or other injected drugs frequently. In addition to making it easier to administer drugs, especially for patients who don’t like needles, this approach also eliminates the need to dispose of sharp needles. The researchers also created and tested a version of the device that could be attached to an endoscope, allowing doctors to use it in an endoscopy suite or operating room to deliver drugs to a patient.

“This technology is a significant leap forward in oral drug delivery of macromolecule drugs like insulin and GLP-1 agonists. While many approaches for oral drug delivery have been attempted in the past, they tend to be poorly efficient in achieving high bioavailability. Here, the researchers demonstrate the ability to deliver bioavailability in animal models with high efficiency. This is an exciting approach which could be impactful for many biologics which are currently administered through injections or intravascular infusions,” says Omid Veiseh, a professor of bioengineering at Rice University, who was not involved in the research.

The researchers now plan to further develop the capsules, in hopes of testing them in humans.

The research was funded by Novo Nordisk, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.

[plotandelegy]

Unleashing Creativity: Top Ways to Generate Unique Fantasy Story Ideas

Photo: Standard License- Adobe Stock

Welcome back,

There's no denying that fantasy has been at the core of some of the most enchanting, daring, and downright unforgettable tales (for one reason or another) that have shaped the literary landscape. Who doesn't love the thrill of journeying to some new adventurous place with otherworldly creatures and epic battles between the forces of dark and light? Personally, I'm all about the dark side. Even for the most seasoned writers sparking the imagination can be difficult. Things like inspiration seem elusive as a dragon hiding in a mist-covered mountain. Today, I will cover a few ideas to find your muse. My muse sometimes hides in a dumpster...so let's find better ways to do this, shall we?

People Watching, with a Twist: Observing people in everyday situations can be a great source of inspiration. Now, add a layer of 'What If?'. What if the barista at your local coffee shop could control elements? What if the older woman feeding pigeons in the park was a retired warrior queen? This exercise allows you to create complex characters with intriguing backstories, ripe for the world of fantasy.

Travel Through Time: History is brimming with periods that, with a little twist, can become fantastic settings for your story. Victorian England's social hierarchies, the Renaissance's scientific innovations, and the fierce battles of Feudal Japan offer fertile ground for fantastical tales. Weave in elements of magic or mythical creatures, and you have an intoxicating cocktail of historical fact and enticing fantasy.

Bioinspiration – Fantasize with Flora and Fauna: The natural world is a veritable treasure trove of inspiration. Let's call this approach 'bioinspiration.' Start by exploring Earth's biodiversity's peculiar traits, behaviors, and survival mechanisms. Why not envision a species that communicates like whales but hunts like a pack of wolves? Or perhaps a plant that blooms under the moonlight and has the power to manipulate time? The possibilities are endless when you fuse the wonder of our world with a dash of fantasy.

Take a Hike (Literally!): When was the last time you truly engaged with the wilderness, the mountains, or the sea? Natural landscapes are rife with potential for fantasy storytelling. As you walk through a dense forest, consider the creatures that might inhabit such a place in a fantasy realm. That murmuring stream could be a water nymph's dwelling, and the wind howling through the canyon might be a dragon's call. Try to visualize your surroundings through the lens of fantasy — you may be surprised at what your imagination conjures up!

Harness the Power of Music: Like music, few things can stir the soul and spark the imagination. A piece of music can evoke many emotions and images depending on its rhythm, melody, and harmony. Try listening to music without lyrics (like classical, orchestral, or ambient music) and let your mind wander. Picture the scenes that the music evokes. Is that tranquil harp melody the song of a peaceful elven village? Does the tumultuous symphony represent the climax of an epic battle? Use these mental images as a springboard for your fantasy narrative.

So there it is, everyone. Five unique ways to draw up some inspiration. Go find your muse!! Probably shouldn't have said mine hides in a dumpster. I'm all about being superstitious, so I'm sure she'll never speak to me again.

Happy Writing,

Indigo Everly 

P.S. Need more? Check out this post!

[mytwistedspaces]

Ghost in the Machine - #1

The mimic octopus exemplifies a dynamic response system, adjusting to its environment in real-time by changing its physical form and behavior. This has parallels in cybernetic systems that adapt based on environmental feedback. Studies have looked at how the neural mechanisms behind this mimicry might inspire bioinspired models for flexible, adaptive AI systems.

[aralillie]

BIOS

鑏ㅤ ㅤㅤꓣׅ፝𝖨𝖳𝖴ۨۨꜲ᳟𝆬𝖫ㅤ ㅤㅤ♰ 𝗗ۨۨꓱ꯭𝗩𝗜࣮𝖫ㅤㅤㅤﷴۣ ㅤ ㅤ𝆬ㅤ ㅤ𓃹

ꔫㅤㅤׄㅤㅤノㅤㅤ𝗄꯭ɩ𝗍꯭𝗍ɥㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ𝗅𝗈𝗏ᧉㅤㅤ⊹ㅤㅤ♡⃝ㅤ

ㅤ خج ³² 𒌀 ！ ▎ .. # in 𝐡𝑒𝖑𝖑

𝐒︭e︭e︭k︭ ┃ 𝐃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿oy - ⍛ 𝗦𝗡𝗨𝗙ꟻ

،،⠀ ⠀ : 𝓜𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗅 “ & . . . '𝘱𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗁 — 𝗆𝘦𝗇𝗍.

𩊠ㅤㅤ𝐓𝗋𝖺𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖾��𝗈ㅤㅤᚲㅤㅤ𝑑𝑣. ㅤㅤ𔕭ㅤㅤ𝒜rtㅤㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ܮܠܛܔ ㅤ ༒ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ꙰᪶𑁄ㅤㅤㅤ 𐍬𝅮᷃ㅤㅤㅤ

؄ ▌ 𝒊. 𝖬𝖯𝖮𝗟𝖴𝖳𝖮𝖲 ܢܔܠ ㅤ ㅤㅤ

[warningsine]

“It’s widely known that swimming in groups provides fish with added protection from predators, but we questioned whether it also contributes to reducing their noise,” said Dr. Rajat Mittal, senior author of the study.

“Our results suggest that the substantial decrease in their acoustic signature when swimming in groups, compared to solo swimming, may indeed be another factor driving the formation of fish schools.”

Dr. Mittal and colleagues created a 3D model based on the common mackerel (Scomber scombrus) to simulate different numbers of fish swimming, changing up their formations, how close they swam to one another, and the degrees to which their movements synched.

The model, which applies to many fish species, simulates one to nine mackerel being propelled forward by their tail fins.

The authors found that a school of fish moving together in just the right way was stunningly effective at noise reduction: a school of seven fish sounded like a single fish.

“A predator, such as a shark, may perceive it as hearing a lone fish instead of a group. This could have significant implications for prey fish,” Dr. Mittal said.

The single biggest key to sound reduction, the team found, was the synchronization of the school’s tail flapping — or actually the lack thereof.

If fish moved in unison, flapping their tail fins at the same time, the sound added up and there was no reduction in total sound.

But if they alternated tail flaps, the fish canceled out each other’s sound.

“Sound is a wave. Two waves can either add up if they are exactly in phase or they can cancel each other if they are exactly out of phase. That’s kind of what’s happening here though we’re talking about faint sounds that would barely be audible to a human,” Dr. Mittal said.

“The tail fin movements that reduce sound also generate flow interaction between the fish that allow the fish to swim faster while using less energy,” added Ji Zhou, first author of the study.

“We find that reduction in flow-generated noise does not have to come at the expense of performance.”

“We found cases where significant reductions in noise are accompanied by noticeable increases in per capita thrust, due to the hydrodynamic interactions between the swimmers.”

The researchers were surprized to find that the sound reduction benefits kick in as soon as one swimming fish joins another.

Noise reduction grows as more fish join a school, but the team expects the benefits to cap off at some point.

“Simply being together and swimming in any manner contributes to reducing the sound signature. No coordination between the fish is required,” Dr. Mittal said.

The study was published April 3 in the jounral Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.

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Ji Zhou et al. Effect of schooling on flow generated sounds from carangiform swimmers. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, published online April 3, 2024; doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad3a4e