Biomimetics: Swimsuit which pretends the shark skin and much more

Many major scientific innovations are based on the imitation of nature. The fascinating ability of certain living organism to adhere to surfaces, repel water, tighten the skin or generate energy from sunlight has inspired scientific research in the context of what is known as biomimetics. The term, which literally means imitating life, was introduced by the American Otto Schmitt in the 1950s, when he studied the development of electronic devices based on the nervous system of the squid. One of the main beneficiaries of biomimetic has been the area of materials science. The best known antecedent is the famous Velcro patented in 1955 by the swiss engineer George de Mestral. The invention came after studying the structure of the thistle flowers and developing great grip in all kinds of tissues, due to the multitude of crochets that act as resistant hooks.