Lotus leaves and flower with water drops

Bioinspiration

Follow the links below to find out more about the adaptations of plants and animals to water, and how we can learn from nature to make artificial surfaces with similar properties to those in the natural world.

A blue butterfly, Morpho Menelaus

Adaptation of animals to water

The ways animals manipulate their surfaces. Image courtesy of Dr Stuart Bewer (DSTL).

water drops on a dandelion

Adaptation of plants to water

How surface structures benefit the plant kingdom. Image courtesy of Nevena Uzurov.