Stealing Ideas from the Sea: The Power of Biomimicry

Minghan T, Writer • April 20, 2026

What if some inventions did not actually come from people? What if they came from the ocean? I mean the ocean is full of things.

When I started looking into this I remembered an art competition about the ocean. At the time, I thought it was a way to get ideas for art. But the more I looked into it, the more I saw how the ocean could actually help us solve problems. This idea really stuck with me. It is surprising how just looking at the ocean can lead to new ideas.

Biomimicry, in fact, is basically learning from nature: using it to solve problems that people have. Even though we are trying to figure everything out on our own, scientists and engineers have already looked at how animals and plants have adapted to survive. Nature has had a lot of time to figure things out so it has already done the work. The ocean has a lot of these ideas. For example, biomimicry from the ocean is very useful.

One of the well-known examples are sharks. Sharks have skin that helps them move through the water and keeps bacteria from sticking to them. Scientists studied this and used it to design materials that help ships move faster and create surfaces in hospitals that resist bacteria. It’s crazy how something as simple as how a shark swims has actually influenced modern technology; the shark is an example of biomimicry from the ocean.

Another example is the boxfish. It looks slow and awkward. Its body shape is actually very stable and efficient in the water. Engineers used that design to help create cars that are more aerodynamic, improving fuel efficiency and safety. Boxfish shows that even things that do not seem effective at first, they can still be useful if you look closer at the boxfish and the ocean.

Coral reefs are another example of biomimicry from the ocean. Corals build structures while still letting water and nutrients flow through them. This has inspired building designs that are both strong and energy efficient. At the same time, scientists are studying coral to improve materials used in medicine like helping repair bones. The coral reefs in the ocean are very important.

Even small marine animals matter too. Some fish move through the water using little energy. By studying how they move, engineers have been able to improve robots and vehicles so that they are more efficient and less disruptive. The ocean and its animals have a lot to teach us.

What makes biomimicry interesting is that it changes how we think about ideas. By separating nature and technology, it shows that nature can actually guide it. The ocean is not something we explore. The ocean is something we can learn from. That is biomimicry.

It also gives another reason to protect life in the ocean. If ocean ecosystems are damaged, we are not just losing animals. We are losing ideas and solutions that we might not have discovered yet. Every animal in the ocean could have something to teach us about biomimicry.

Biomimicry shows that not every idea has to be completely new. Sometimes the best ideas come from paying attention to what’s already here, like the ocean and its animals.