The greenhouse that acts like a beetle and other inventions inspired by nature

For a new generation of innovators, biomimicry - the imitation of nature's ecosystems - may help solve some of humanity's toughest resource problems

When Brent Constantz, CEO of carbon capture company Blue Planet, was looking for a way to process carbon dioxide emissions, he found inspiration in nature. "Coral reefs and rainforests, the largest natural structures on the planet, are made of carbon," he says. Reefs, in fact, not only sequester carbon, but also reuse their own waste byproducts. "When they produce calcium carbonate, they release carbon dioxide," he explains. "This feeds the symbiotic algae that help support them."

This circular process of reusing waste materials lies at the heart of a new generation of design and innovation. Tapping Into Nature, a recent report from environmental consultancy Terrapin Bright Green, explores several companies that are imitating nature to address some of humanity's most dire problems.