I love the idea of biomimicry, or that technological innovations can be inspired or copied from solutions that have evolved through natural selection. It makes sense that life, through billions of years of evolutionary R&D, has crafted ingenious solutions to tough problems.
Arthropods (insects + arachnids + crustaceans and others) are a rich source of inspiration for innovations. Their evolutionary diversity and pace (powered by short generation times and thus rapid evolution) has enabled them to develop fascinating solutions to problems that are relevant to us. For instance, spider silk is five times stronger than steel by mass, and it solves the problem of how to absorb a great deal of energy (a fly hitting a spider’s web) with minimal material use.
Based on the research paper referenced in this article, cockroach milk has the potential to be a “sustainable superfood of the future”, although there could be a few branding challenges in bringing it to market…
