Volume 17 of Nikon Horizons delves into processes and structures found in nature that have the potential to bring dramatic improvements to our lives while helping to protect the environment. We begin our discussion with photosynthesis, the process by which plants transform the energy of light from the sun into chemical energy, and how researchers are working to harness its mechanisms to create abundant, renewable energy. Next, we’ll see how scientists are advancing biomimetics by recreating specialized plant and animal structures to render improved products and energy-efficient manufacturing processes. Last, we examine hibernation, a unique phenomenon found in nature that, if deciphered, could help facilitate interplanetary travel and have a dynamic impact on medicine and human longevity.

Updated May 13, 2013

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