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6 Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies

Figure 1.2 The Sensitive Fern (O. sensibilis form the Woodsiaceae family of plants) has its leaves open (left)
until they are touched (right).

Figure 1.3 (See color insert following page 302) Bug-eating plants with traps that developed from their leaf.

1.2.1 Synthetic Life

Advances in understanding and unraveling the genetic code, and the ability to manipulate and
splice genes have made the possibility of creating synthetic life an increasing reality. Biologists
are now able to engineer bacteria and develop drugs that otherwise must be extracted from rare
plants at very high costs. Further, bacteria and yeast are being produced to build proteins with
synthetic amino acids having novel properties that are impossible to find in nature. Researchers
are also working on assembling simple cells from basic components with an ability that is