托福口语 Task 4

In today's lecture, we'll explore a fascinating concept in biology called 'biomimicry'—the practice of imitating nature's designs to solve human problems. The main point is that animals and plants have evolved incredibly efficient solutions, and we can apply these to technology. Take the kingfisher bird, for example. Its long, pointed beak allows it to dive into water with almost no splash, reducing resistance. Engineers studied this when designing the front of Japanese bullet trains. The original train design caused loud noise and poor aerodynamics when exiting tunnels. By reshaping the nose like a kingfisher's beak, they made the trains quieter and 10% more energy-efficient. Another example is the humpback whale. Despite its massive size, it can turn sharply while hunting because of the bumpy tubercles on its flippers. These bumps reduce drag and improve lift. Inspired by this, wind turbine manufacturers added similar bumps to turbine blades, increasing their efficiency by up to 20% even at low wind speeds. So, as you can see, biomimicry offers tangible solutions by learning from millions of years of evolution.