Xploration Nature Knows Best Season 1 Episode 6 Nature's Sticky Inventions

Episode 6 of Xploration Nature Knows Best's first season, titled "Nature's Sticky Inventions," focuses on adhesive materials and their components inspired by nature. Host Danni Washington will explore various examples of adhesives, from geckos and spider webs to materials used in human surgery. This episode will showcase how biology has been able to inspire engineers to create new tools and materials that can better serve the human population.

The episode starts by taking a closer look at geckos and their unique ability to stick to any surface. Danni will introduce the audience to a research team in California that is creating a new kind of adhesive inspired by gecko's feet, with the help of a robot. The robot can move like gecko's feet and stick to any surface, even upside down, without leaving any residue. This research aims to create adhesives that can be used in space exploration and manufacturing industries.

Later on, Danni will talk about spiders and their webs. Spider silk is known for its strength and durability, but what is less known is that it also has adhesive properties. The team explores how scientists are recreating this adhesive quality of spider silk to produce materials used in the medical field. They showcase how spider silk glue is being used in surgical procedures like brain surgery and how it is helping in stopping blood flow during surgery.

The episode shifts towards the sea, exploring marine creatures such as barnacles and mussels, which are known to attach themselves to surfaces. Danni introduces the audience to a group of scientists who are creating synthetic adhesives based on these creatures' abilities. These adhesives are being used to repair ships and submarines, as they can withstand the ocean's harsh conditions.

The next segment of the episode highlights adhesive materials being used in day-to-day life, inspired by nature. One such material is Velcro, which was inspired by the hooks and loops found in plant burrs. The system works when one side has a hook-like structure, and the other side has a loop-like structure that holds the hook in place. Danni will showcase how this technology is being used in various industries like fashion, automobile, and aviation.

Finally, the audience will see how nature has inspired adhesive applications in the fashion industry. Danni will take viewers to meet with a team of designers who are using sticky materials to create clothing and accessories. One such material is freeze-dried beetle glue, which is found in ancient Egyptian tombs and is traditionally used in creating jewelry and accessories. In this episode, the sticky material is used to make stylish shoes and bags.

Overall, Xploration Nature Knows Best's "Nature's Sticky Inventions" takes viewers on a journey through different examples to prove that inventions inspired by nature have practical uses in day-to-day life. The show highlights how studying nature can help us create better and more sustainable technologies. Nature has proven to be the most powerful tool in engineering, and the episode emphasizes how understanding biology encourages the development of new solutions to many of today's challenges.