Tom McKeag
Zygote Quarterly
Tom McKeag is the co-founder and editor of Zygote Quarterly, a digital magazine devoted to the nexus of science and design where they meet in the field of bio-inspired design. He is an adjunct professor in the Industrial Design Department of the California College of the Arts where he teaches the studio course "BioWerks." He also was a 2013-2014 Fulbright Scholar at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India.
The Year in Biomimicry: Fins For Humans, The Aquapenguin and Robots With Whiskers
It's time to review last year's bio-inspired products and services and pick my favorites, and, since this is my “sandbox,” I have decided to shamelessly name my awards the Tommies. Read More
Reducing a Brown Cloud to its Silver Lining: How Natural Limits Lead to Innovation
While I do not think that we can design our way out of our current problems of climate change, innovation comes in many forms, including the political and cultural. Let's hope for good news from Copenhagen, while we celebrate the design and business achievements of companies like Envirofit, which has made a highly-efficient stove to replace traditional indoor cookstoves in India. Read More
Why Flying Monkeys Don't Rule the World: Recognizing the Ecological Context of Design
There is a resuscitated movement to judge our built work by the wider ecological context into which it is put. To optimize its beneficial effect rather than maximize its financial profit (or simply minimize its environmental harm). Optimizing our resources and decisions within the limits of our natural world is not merely wise or clever or noble; it's a requirement for our survival. Read More
Nature's Inventions: San Diego Conference Showcases Biomimicry Products
At the second annual Biomimicry Conference in San Diego, attendees learned about electronic displays that mimic butterflies to save energy, carpeting tiles inspired by forest floors in order to be easily swappable, and a range of products that move water and air efficiently by copying natural spirals. Read More
How Termites Inspired Mick Pearce's Green Buildings
Architect Mick Peace has designed energy-efficient buildings in Zimbabwe and Australia that replicate some of the same climate control features as termite mounds. The passive cooling techniques and other innovative features have resulted in cost savings and increased worker productivity. Read More
Why You Should Have a Waterfall in Your Living Room
Suppose you lived in a hot and muggy climate and wanted to build a new house that was comfortable and energy efficient. One solution to dehumidify it? A waterfall with a special ingredient. Read on for the science behind this phenomenon and a real-world example of a home-based waterfall in action. Read More
Beyond Metaphor: Biomimicry and the Case of the Gecko
Designers of tomorrow's buildings have to go beyond metaphors in order to apply truly useful biomimetic innovation to the problems of our built world. For years researchers have been studying how geckos adhere to walls, and how humans can harness that ability. Read More
It's the Structure, Stupid: Why Nature is a Better Builder
Nature has been practicing feedback loops for billions of years, and builders are now implementing feedback loops (through advanced programming and sensors) in structures to optimize their performance. While humans have created bigger and longer structures than nature, we still have a lot to learn from nature about optimization. Read More