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When nature has the solution

Ministry of Agriculture teams in Liberia spray insecticide in areas infested by a destructive caterpillar Liberia Ministry of Agriculture/IRIN
Ministry of Agriculture teams in Liberia spray insecticide in areas infested by a destructive caterpillar
    DAKAR

    Global warming is putting nature and humans on a collision course, but scientists working in “biomimicry” say nature holds solutions - if “mimicked” correctly.



    Some inventions being touted as eco-breakthroughs that imitate or use natural properties include vaccines that survive without refrigeration based on a plant found throughout Africa; new antibacterial substances inspired by marine algae found off Australia's coast that promise a new way to battle health hazards with little risk of bacterial resistance; a beetle-bug inspired water harvesting system; and biodegradable packaging that mimics frogs.



    Entrepreneurs of the natural world showcased their inventions last year in Spain and 100 top technologies will be included in a book expected to come out in May 2009.



    pt/np/oa

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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