May 2, 2025

Learning

Designing a future that supports all species begins by asking what nature can teach us.

AskNature is a free, open-source database from the Biomimicry Institute that translates biological knowledge into clear, accessible language. It’s designed to help designers, engineers, educators, students, and innovators find inspiration for sustainable solutions by learning from how nature solves problems.

The site includes a library of more than 1,700 biological strategies—examples of how living organisms tackle challenges. Entries are organized by design function, so users can easily search for ideas based on specific questions, like “How does nature create color?” or “How does nature absorb impact?”

“At this point in our global ecological crisis, the survival of humanity will require a fundamental shift in our attitude toward nature: from finding out how we can dominate and manipulate nature to how we can learn from her.” - Jay Harman

WEBSTE: AskNature

Learning

Maybe the smartest thing about us isn’t inside our heads.

FOLLOW THE THREAD

Learning

We can learn how to govern ourselves.

LECTURE: Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems, Elinor Ostrom, Nobel Prize Lecture, 2009

Learning

We know how to make a “we.”

BOOK: Why We Cooperate

Learning

We inherit what others learned.

BOOK: The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter