RSC Tirupati opens new Biomimicry gallery

A new permanent gallery on Biomimicry – the science inspired by nature — was inaugurated at the Regional Science Centre (RSC) in Tirupati on Tuesday.

Biomimicry is a concept that evaluates biological entities and replicates the same to highlight, design and develop concepts using technological models to benefit humankind. The RSC, which is a unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under the union Ministry of Culture, brought this gallery to help students understand the ways to find eco-friendly solutions to global challenges.

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER-Tirupati) Director Santanu Bhattacharya, who formally inaugurated the gallery, called nature the ‘ultimate engineer’. “By observing how biological systems solve problems, we can create sustainable technologies that harmonise with our planet”, he observed.

Visveswaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM), Bengaluru, Director Sajoo Bhaskaran, who presided over the event, hailed the gallery for making complicated scientific concepts accessible to the younger generation.

The major attraction at the gallery is the ‘Ultra cane’ for the visually impaired, inspired by the echolocation technique of bats and materials emulating the water-repellent properties of lotus leaves.