LEARNING

Rain
Gardens
Mimicking to the
Nature Rescue! Biobots
Welcome to Nature’s Genius!!
You hold in your hands a small yet power-packed book with three different
pieces that are tied together by a common topic. Take a look at the front cover
to discover just what the topic might be. Notice the title, Nature’s Genius. Look
at the photo. What clues do the title and image give you about the topic? Also
notice the title of each piece in a band at the bottom of the cover. In this book,
you will find:
• a science article called “Mimicking Nature.” This science article describes how Stephanie Harvey
scientists, engineers, and others copy nature in order to solve problems. You’ll Program Consultant
read about new products inspired by sharks, birds called kingfishers, beetles
from Africa, termites, and humpback whales.
• an opinion piece titled “Rain Gardens to the Rescue!” This piece tells how
rainwater gets dirty and contributes to water pollution. It also describes how
building a rain garden can help reduce water pollution. Read to find out what a
rain garden is and why creating one is good for both you and the environment.
• last, but certainly not least, a science article called “Biobots,” which describes
10 lifelike robots inspired by living creatures. Check out the information in
the article to discover how microflies, robobees, and other biobots work
and the difficult and dangerous jobs they perform for people.
Although each of these pieces is linked together by the topic of nature’s
genius, they are different genres. You might want to start with the one that
most grabs your attention. Read it first if you like, but don’t forget to read the
others. Reading each one will give you more information and help you unlock
the themes and big ideas. design (verb) to plan
You will read oodles of words in this book, but these three words—design, how to make something,
engineer, and mimic—will appear in all of the pieces and may help you better including what it will look
understand what you are reading. As you come across these words, think about like and how it will work
how they relate to the common topic that threads through the whole book— engineer (noun) someone
nature’s genius. who designs or builds
things such as bridges,
machines, and other

Reading is thinking! technology

mimic (verb) to copy or
Readers who get the most out of their reading are always thinking about the text. imitate
As you read this book, be a thinking-intensive reader—a reader who never stops
thinking by asking questions, making connections, and reacting to information.
Pay attention to the words, but also look at the pictures and the features. This
book is packed with eye-catching visuals that will give you tons of information,
if you only pay attention to them.
And lastly, keep a pen or pencil and sticky notes right next to you as you read.
Jot down your questions, connections, and reactions and stick them right on
the page where you had those thoughts. These notes give you a place to hold
your thinking so you won’t forget what you have read and can come back later to
reflect on the ideas and issues in the text. Nothing is more important than your
thinking when you read and view, so keep reading, keep looking, keep thinking,
and have some fun!
Glossary ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Grateful acknowledgment is given to the authors, artists, photographers,
museums, publishers, and agents for permission to reprint copyrighted
actuator (noun) a device that moves or controls material. Every effort has been made to secure the appropriate
something permission. If any omissions have been made or if corrections are
required, please contact the Publisher.
aquifer (noun) a layer of rock, gravel, sand, or other Lexile®, Lexile Framework® and the Lexile® logo are trademarks of
material below Earth’s surface where water collects MetaMetrics, Inc., and are registered in the United States and abroad.

Photographic Credits
condense (verb) to change from a gas to a liquid Front/Back Cover ©Makoto Iwafuji/Master Photo Syndication/Sygma/
Corbis. Front Cover (bl) ©Paul Miller/epa/Corbis. (br) ©Victor Habbick
design (verb) to plan how to make something, Visions/Photo Researchers, Inc. Back Cover (cl) ©Photo courtesy of
including what it will look like and how it will work Biorobotics Lab. Title Page ©Makoto Iwafuji/Master Photo Syndication/
Sygma/Corbis. 2 (c) ©Jeffrey L. Rotman/Getty Images. 3 (t) ©Paul
efficient (adjective) able to produce a good result Miller/epa/Corbis. (tl) ©Clouds Hill Imaging Ltd./Corbis. 4 (c) ©JTB
Photo Communications, Inc./Alamy. 5 (b) ©Lyndon Parkinson/National
without wasting energy or time Geographic Stock. 6 (b) Precision Graphics. 7 (c) ©Michael & Patricia
Fogden/Minden Pictures/National Geographic Stock. 8 (c) ©Chlaus
engineer (noun) someone who designs or builds Lotscher/Photolibrary. 10 (c) ©Robert Clark/National Geographic
things such as bridges, machines, and other Stock. (cl) ©Josiah Davidson/Getty Images. (t) ©Tim Laman/National
Geographic Stock. 12 (bg) ©Andrew Fox/Alamy. 14 (c) ©Nancy
technology Woodman. 16 (cr) ©Courtesy of Sangbae Kim & Mark Cutkosky. 17 (bc)
©Robert Clark/National Geographic Stock. (cr) ©Juniors Bildarchiv/
filter (verb) to remove materials from a substance Alamy. 18 (bc) ©Robert Clark/National Geographic Stock. (tc) ©Redmond
by passing the substance through something else, Durrell/Alamy. 19 (cl) ©Victor Habbick Visions/Photo Researchers, Inc.
(tc) ©Redmond Durrell/Alamy. 20 (bl) ©Precision Urban Hopper courtesy
such as a strainer of Sandia National Laboratories, Randy Montoya photographer. (cr)
©Precision Urban Hopper courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories,
locomotion (noun) the act of moving from one place Randy Montoya photographer. 21 (bc) ©imagebroker/Alamy. 22 (cr) U.S.
to another Navy Photograph by John F. Williams. (tc) ©Melba Photo Agency/Alamy.
24 (c) ©Tim Laman/National Geographic Stock. 25 (tl) ©Stocksearch/
Alamy 26 (bl) ©PhotoSpin, Inc/Alamy. (cr) ©Photo courtesy of
mimic (verb) to copy or imitate
Biorobotics Lab Carnegie Mellon University. 27 (br) ©Photo courtesy
of Biorobotics Lab Carnegie Mellon University. 28 (bl) ©Yann Arthus-
organism (noun) a living thing, such as an animal or Bertrand/Corbis. (cr) ©BigDog image courtesy of Boston Dynamics.
plant 29 (bl) ©Redmond Durrell/Alamy. (br) ©Cheetah image courtesy of
Boston Dynamics. (tc) ©Life on white/Alamy. 30 (cr) ©Courtesy of
runoff (noun) rainwater that flows over hard ground Sangbae Kim & Mark Cutkosky. 32 (tl) ©Paul Miller/epa/Corbis. (tr)
©Victor Habbick Visions/Photo Researchers, Inc.
surfaces and ends up in sewers or bodies of water
Illustrator Credits
sensor (noun) a piece of machinery that senses Lemur character art provided by 15 Letters, Inc. 8 (c), 9 (br), 13 (c)
Precision Graphics.
something, such as motion, light, or other objects,
and gives off a signal in response

It’s a Home Run! • Lend Me a Paw

High Points • Nature’s Genius
Animals Invade! • The Quest
Moon Mysteries • Worth Saving
Mimicking Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
by Nancy Woodman

Rain Gardens to the Rescue! . . . . . . . . . . 12

by Nancy Woodman

Biobots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
by Jennifer Boudart

Discuss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
GENRE Science Article Read to find out how technology mimics nature.

by Nancy Woodman

How could you swim as fast as a shark or find enough water to drink
in the desert? Living things, or organisms, have the answers to these
questions and more. Organisms have amazing and effective features
that help them survive.

Scientists, engineers, and others are studying nature with a goal

in mind. They want to mimic, or copy, nature in order to solve
problems. When trying to solve a problem, they ask, “How would
nature do it?”

What problems need to be solved, and where do people find

solutions? Keep reading to find out!

2
 Dermal denticles
(magnified)

This swimmer wears a swimsuit

that mimics sharkskin.

Swim Like a Shark?

Athletes wanted swimsuits that would help them swim faster, so
they got help from researchers who study sharks. The researchers
discovered that sharkskin is made of interlocking scales called
dermal denticles. This unusual skin allows sharks to swim faster
than most other fish.

Then swimsuits were created that mimic sharkskin. The result?

In the 2000 Olympics, swimmers wearing the suits won many
medals. They also broke many world records. Today the swimsuits
are banned from the Olympics because the swimmers who wear
them have an unfair advantage.

3
4
A Beak on a Train?
Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train is one of the fastest trains in the
world. The engineers who designed it faced a problem. When
the train came out of a tunnel, it made a loud, booming noise.
This noise could hurt people’s ears, so engineers looked to
nature for a solution.

The team studied the way a kingfisher dives into the water, beak
first. The bird doesn’t create a splash when it moves from one
environment (air) to another environment (water). The bullet
train was also changing environments (tunnel to open space).
So, the team designed the front of the train to mimic the
shape of a kingfisher’s beak. The result? The train was silent and
more efficient, requiring less energy to run. The team solved a
problem by mimicking nature.

Kingfisher

5
Drink from Desert Air?
Darkling beetles live on every continent. One kind of darkling beetle
lives in Africa’s Namib Desert. Few animals can survive in this dry
place. Although the desert surface is bone-dry, the morning air can
be foggy. This beetle, nicknamed the fog-basking beetle, can collect
water from the fog.

The Namib Desert is along the Atlantic coast of Africa. As cool

ocean air blows inland, fog forms. To get a drink, the beetle climbs
up a sand dune and does a headstand! As the beetle leans headfirst
into the fog, it is able to collect water on its back. The beetle’s back
is covered with tiny grooves that direct water droplets toward its
mouth. Gulp!

The beetle inspired scientists and engineers to invent a way to

capture water from air. Their invention looks like a small alien
spaceship and is called the Dew Bank. How does it work? The Dew
Bank is made of metal. It is left outside all night, and by the following
morning the metal becomes cooler than the surrounding air. As a
result, water vapor in the air condenses on the metal dome. This
water is called dew. Drops of dew roll down into the tube. Although
the Dew Bank may collect just one glass of water a day, this can
make a big difference for people in the desert.

Dew Bank Dome

Water from the air condenses
on the cool metal dome. This Grooves
water is called dew. Grooves on the surface of the dome
increase the area where dew can collect.
They also direct the dew to the tube.
Tube
The dew trickles down through a
narrow gap. It is stored inside the tube.

Cap
People remove the cap,
then drink.
Fog-basking beetle

7
Inside a Termite Mound
Arrows show how air can
flow in a termite mound.
Cool air enters through
vents and flows down.
Warm air rises. Warm
air can leave the mound
through the chimney or
mix with the cool air. Chimney

Channel

Vent

Nest
Fungus
gardens

8
 Live Like a Termite?
Termites in Africa live in tall mounds in the desert. They eat
fungus, which they grow inside their mounds. The fungus needs
a constant temperature, but the desert temperature varies. It is
hot during the day and cold at night. How do the termite mounds
remain the right temperature?

The termite mounds have a venting system. Air from outside can
flow through different channels. By opening and closing vents
throughout the day, the termites regulate the temperature inside
the mound. The termites create new vents and plug old ones
as needed.

Architects and engineers mimicked termite technology when they

designed and built the Eastgate Center in Zimbabwe, Africa. The
building uses a venting system similar to the termites’. The result?
The Eastgate Center uses less energy than most buildings its size,
and it does not need air conditioning!

Inside the Eastgate Center

Fans help move cool air from the atrium into hollow spaces in the floor of
each office. Air warms during the day. It rises out of the building through
Eastgate Center chimneys. Cement slabs on the outside wall give shade and absorb heat.

Glass canopy Chimney

Sunlight

Atrium
(open space)

Office

Cement slabs

9
 Bumpy edges make the blades of
these wind turbines quieter. The
bumps also help the blades spin
more efficiently.

Whales in the Sky?

Humpback whales are cool for many reasons, and here is one more.
A scientist noticed that the front of a humpback whale flipper is
bumpy. He thought that was odd. Wouldn’t a whale swim more
efficiently with smooth flippers instead of bumpy ones? So he studied
the bumpy flipper. He found that the bumps on the flipper help the
whale move with more force when making tight turns.

10
The shape of whale flippers inspired more efficient and quieter
blades for wind turbines. People are also working on plans for
more efficient fans and airplanes that mimic the shape of a whale’s
flipper. Airplanes and fans that work more efficiently could help
save energy and money.

So the next time you are faced with a problem to solve, go outside
and observe nature’s genius. How would nature do it? And what
kind of invention will you dream up?

Check In What problems have people solved by studying nature?

11
GENRE Opinion Piece Read to find out about rain gardens.

by Nancy Woodman

The Problem
If you live in a town or city, you might walk all day without stepping
on grass or soil. That’s because much of the ground is covered with
buildings, roads, or other hard surfaces. When it rains, roofs and
paved surfaces can’t absorb, or soak in, rainwater. Instead, water
flows freely as runoff. The runoff picks up car oil and many other
pollutants. Most dirty runoff eventually flows into storm sewers,
which empty into lakes, rivers, and the ocean. You may already
know that water pollution is a big problem. But you may not know
that too much runoff is a major source of water pollution.

Runoff is the biggest cause of water

quality problems in the United
States. This is according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.

12
 The Solution
A rain garden is designed to reduce runoff. Studies by engineers
who work with water, soil, and the environment show that rain
gardens can reduce water pollution, too. A rain garden is a low
garden that is dug into the ground. It traps, absorbs, and cleans
polluted runoff. The diagram below shows how a rain garden works.

A rain garden mimics the natural environment. In a natural area,

rainwater that does not evaporate may sink into the ground and
trickle through layers of soil or be taken up by the roots of plants.
A rain garden works in the same way.

How a Rain Garden Works

Plants
Runoff flows toward Mulch Layer
the bowl-shaped rain Water collects in the
garden. Plants slow down rain garden. Mulch
the water and filter, or is pieces of leaves,
remove, some pollutants. bark, or other plant
matter. Organisms in
Pavement the mulch help break
down pollutants.

Soil Layer
This layer absorbs water and
filters pollutants. Materials
such as sand and compost can
be added to absorb more water.
Roots also take in water and
filter, or remove, pollutants.

13
You can build a rain garden to help keep water clean.
Clean water is good for living things in oceans, lakes,
and streams. It’s good for you, too! The water you
use for drinking, cooking, and bathing may come
from a body of fresh water, such as a river or lake.
When runoff goes into rain gardens instead of
sewers, that means less pollution flows into nearby
bodies of water, and that helps keep the water you
use every day clean.

Or you may be one of the 90 million people in the

United States who gets water from an aquifer.
An aquifer is a layer of rock, gravel, sand, or other
material below Earth’s surface where water collects.
Many aquifers are running out of water. A rain
garden helps replenish aquifers every time it rains.
Water trapped in a rain garden moves through plant
roots and layers of soil and rock, which act as a
natural filter that removes pollutants. This filtered
water may eventually reach an aquifer.

14
 Many good reasons exist for building a
rain garden. Not only does building one
help protect your water supply, it protects
you from flooding and adds beauty to the
landscape. So, what are you waiting for?
Whether your water comes from above the
ground or below it, building a rain garden
will help protect your water supply by
keeping it clean and plentiful. Now that’s a
refreshing thought!

Check In How can a rain garden help keep water clean?

15
GENRE Science Article Read to find out what animals these biobots mimic and how they do it.

by Jennifer Boudart

Engineers have created new

kinds of robots. These robots
help people. They do jobs that
are dangerous for people. The
robots are called “biobots.” Bio
means “life.” Biobots are lifelike.
That’s because engineers
study animals. This helps the
engineers design the robots to
look like animals. Biobots mimic
how animals move. The biobots
crawl, jump, run, swim, and fly.
Let’s look at some biobots!

Stickybot uses a dozen

motors to mimic a gecko’s
locomotion. It can even rotate its
back feet to climb down headfirst.

16
STICKYBOT
climbs

w a l ls !
A gecko is a lizard. It can easily climb walls.
What is the secret to its locomotion? It
has millions of tiny hairs under each toe.
The hairs press down. This makes the toes
grip or “stick” to surfaces.

The weight of the gecko’s body pulls the

hairs downward. This causes its toes to
grip. Stickybot looks a lot like a gecko.
Its toes have millions of tiny rubber hairs.
This biobot climbs up and down
smooth surfaces.

Stickybot’s
foot

Stickybot
• Bio-inspiration: gecko
• Locomotion: climbing

Gecko’s foot • Mission: military patrol, search

and rescue, building inspection

17
MICrofly
ti p!
fits on a

Fi n g e r
Microfly
• Bio-inspiration: blowfly
• Locomotion: flying
• Mission: military patrol, search and
rescue, environmental research

Microfly is a tiny biobot. It mimics a flying insect.

Engineers studied the blowfly. They learned what
makes it a great flyer. Then the engineers created
small, light parts. These parts help the microfly fly.
It has tiny robotic muscles called actuators. They
power its wings. The engineers are working to make
microfly’s steering better.

Wing
In this photo, the microfly is
magnified. The real microfly weighs
Microfly
less than a small paperclip. The
distance from wingtip to wingtip
is about as long as a paperclip.

Wing 3 cm

Tweezers

18
Robobee Robobees
to the
!
• Bio-inspiration: honeybee

s c u e
• Locomotion: flying

r e
• Mission: military patrol, search
and rescue, environmental
research, crop pollination

Wing
Brain Engineers are busy designing
The “brain” processes
information from robobees. Real honeybees
sensors. Some of the
sensors are in the spread pollen to crops. People
robobee’s “eyes.”
need these crops for food, but
a disease is killing honeybees.
Soon there may not be enough
honeybees to spread pollen.
Robobees could do the job of
real honeybees. They would use
their feet to collect and spread
pollen. They might also share
information. They might use
cameras and sensors. These
sensors can sense light, motion,
and other objects.

Actuator
The actuator is
the “muscle” that
moves the wings.

19
 precision urban hopper

s!
Jumps over

bu i ld i n g
The precision urban hopper looks like a shoebox on
wheels. This biobot has sensors. It senses tall objects.
It was built to jump over these objects. Its rod acts
like a powerful leg. It pushes down. Then it throws
the hopper high into the air. This biobot was inspired
by grasshoppers. It might one day be used to
explore Mars or the moon.

A scientist shows
off an early version
of the hopper. It can
jump almost two
stories high.

20
Wheels
Wide wheels help the
hopper move over bumpy
surfaces.

Rod
The rod moves and
then pushes the
hopper into the air.

Body
The sturdy body
withstands falls
from high up in
the air.

Precision Urban Hopper

• Bio-inspiration: grasshopper
• Locomotion: rolling, jumping
• Mission: military patrol, search
and rescue, space exploration

21
 Robolobster
• Bio-inspiration: lobster
• Locomotion: crawling
• Mission: explosives location, pollution
tracking, sea life research

Legs
Nimble legs help the
robolobster move
around obstacles.

Sensors
The robolobster has
sensors for sight, smell,
and sound. The sensors
detect chemicals, metal,
and explosive objects.

22
 robolobster
is a

s u p e r
f f e r!
s ni
A lobster can crawl on the seafloor. It has
Batteries
many legs. Its antennae can smell food it
Batteries in the
robolobster’s body cannot see. A biobot called a robolobster
provide power.
looks like the real thing. It has a shell, a tail,
and extra legs. It uses its antennae to find
chemicals. These biobots might someday
find pollution or dangerous objects.

Robolobsters are about

60 centimeters (about 2 feet)
long. They weigh about
3 kilograms (about 7 pounds).

23
 fishBOTs
Follow the

le a d e r! Fishbot
• Bio-inspiration: fish
• Locomotion: swimming
• Mission: marine research,
sea life protection
Fish swim in schools. They swim
close to each other. The whole
school moves together. If one
fish changes direction, the others
follow it. This helps fish stay safe
and find food.

A fishbot mimics a swimming

fish. Engineers’ tests have
shown that fish treat fishbots
like real fish. Engineers hope
schools of fish will follow fishbots.
Then they can guide fish away
from an oil spill or other dangers.

Fishbots are powered by batteries.

They are guided by remote control.

24
Covering
The covering is flexible
and waterproof.

Tail
The tail moves back
and forth, mimicking
a real fish.

25
 modsnake

r
can

S li th e
an d
s e a r c h!
Snakes have a special form of locomotion. They slither
and slide. Modsnakes are biobots without legs. They
move like snakes. Uncle Sam is a modsnake. It can
wiggle, roll, and climb trees.

Uncle Sam’s body is a chain of parts. The parts are linked

like train cars. Each part contains sensors and actuators.
They feel the ground. They also control movement.

Engineers hope to use modsnakes to find and rescue

people who are trapped.

Modsnake
• Bio-inspiration: snake
• Locomotion: slithering, rolling,
climbing
• Mission: military patrol, search
and rescue, inspection

26
 Head
A camera and flashlight are
built into the modsnake’s head.
A speaker and microphone might
be added. Then the modsnake
could deliver messages in search
and rescue missions.

Links
The body is made of links. Links can
be added to make the body longer.
They can be removed for repair.

This red, white, and

blue modsnake is
named “Uncle Sam.”

27
 !
BIGDOG
ds
carries

Heav loa
y
Engineers studied the locomotion of four-legged animals,
too. They designed BigDog. This biobot can carry heavy
loads. Its body has a gas tank and sensors.
The sensors keep it from tripping.
Engineers are working on a new model
of BigDog called LS3. LS3 will be
stronger. It will also use less gas.

BigDog
• Bio-inspiration: goat, horse, dog
• Locomotion: walking, trotting Springs, joints,
and many other
• Mission: military gear transport parts help
BigDog move.

28
Cheetah

cheetah
• Bio-inspiration: cheetah
• Locomotion: running
Outruns

!
• Mission: military fighting,

a n s
emergency response

hu m
The cheetah is one of the world’s fastest
animals. Cheetahs inspired a biobot of the
same name. This biobot will move and look
like a real cheetah. It will move fast and turn
quickly. It may even outrun people.

This image shows

features that mimic a
real cheetah’s, such as
joints, eyes, and ears.

29
 !
moves like a

c k r o a c h
co
Cockroaches are also fast. Their
locomotion is like running, or scurrying.
Engineers studied cockroach locomotion.
Then they designed iSprawl. iSprawl
mimics the scurrying motion of a
cockroach. And it’s fast!

iSprawl
• Bio-inspiration: cockroach
• Locomotion: running
• Mission: military patrol,
environmental research, search
and rescue, space exploration

30
 Engineers study nature to get new ideas for biobots.
There are many life forms to mimic. We may see

iSprawl can skitter many more biobots in the years to come!

over obstacles as
high as tables.

Check In Which biobot would be most useful to you? Why?

31
Discuss Explain Ideas, Problems, and Solutions

1. What are the three pieces in this book about?

2. Where did the engineers, scientists, and others get the ideas to
make the things described in this book?

3. What problem does a rain garden help solve? Compare it to a

problem solved by an invention in “Mimicking Nature.”

4. Compare “Mimicking Nature” and “Biobots.”

How are the inventions described in these
two pieces alike and different?

5. Think about what you read in Nature’s Genius.

What do you still wonder about? What else would
you like to find out?

32
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