Why not pour the tree before a storm?

15 years ago, when vacationing in the Landes region, German physicist Claus Mattheck stood in front of a sea pine tree. Although it was blown away by the west wind, the pine tree tilted but still did not break.

"Logically, the pine tree must be broken or uprooted," he told himself. That phenomenon stimulates the curiosity of the scientist. He wanted to know why trees could stand before storms.

When he returned to Germany, Claus Mattheck was interested in a mechanical problem : the threshold of tolerance, which surpassed a structure that could break. Thus, when the crane lifts a heavy object, the upper part will stretch out while the lower part will collapse. Metal suffers from a strong force. If the pressure and tension are not evenly distributed across the whole, the heaviest end points will be deformed to create cracks, which in the long run will cause a break. So far, engineers have reinforced devices that must withstand strong forces by increasing the thickness. The result is that the thickness of the whole is determined by the weakest point. So the device will be heavier and more expensive.

Claus Mattheck measured the vital points of the tree, such as the trees. Then he analyzed the data on the computer and found that when faced with stormy winds, the trunk and branches also reacted like the upper part of the crane. So why don't they break?

Mattheck discovered that nature has found a simple solution: when the counterparts increase, the tree will produce more wood at the point of need. When there are extremely strong thunderstorms, pressure and tension are evenly distributed throughout the surface.

This finding has helped improve the components of architecture thanks to a prototyping software. The software will simulate the pressure that the component must bear, then it thickens the critical points. When the component is able to withstand the maximum tension, it is perfectly shaped. An ordinary person can hardly tell the difference, but that architectural component can increase life expectancy by 100 times.

About 10 research centers around the world currently work in the biomimetic industry. Scientists do not know how to take advantage of all the advantages of nature. At times, it is hoped that the natural systems will be transformed into technology. For example, people have built a helicopter that can flap its wings like a goose or replace a propeller with a dolphin tail, or equip a vehicle that runs all terrain with grasshopper legs.

Here are some examples of biomimetics in the latest research and applications:

- The group of termites is several meters high, there are many tunnels. Whether rain or wind, the internal temperature remains stable from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, with a moisture content of about 90%. In 1996 in Zimbawe, the architects inspired the termites to build a commercial center and an office complex with natural ventilation pipes. Cool air from the yard enters the house, where hot air is pushed out of the chimney. This system replaces air conditioning.

- Balane crustaceans (oysters) are only a few centimeters long but they can synthesize a glue resistant to seawater. This substance, after secreting, hardens quickly to form a completely sealed colloid. Soon the bio-engineering industry will allow the production of such glue, not polluting but cheap.