Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2021 That May Lead to New Inventions From nanobots to cancer treatments, nature inspires…

Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2021 That May Lead to New Inventions
From nanobots to cancer treatments, nature inspires a wide variety of innovations

In science, inspiration can come from anywhere.

A researcher might wonder about the thrust produced by butterfly wings as they flit through a meadow. Maybe watching squirrels navigate campus trees like parkour artists sparks curiosity about what goes through their furry little minds as they decide to jump from branch to branch. Others, of course, get their spark from less likely sources: analyzing shark intestines or studying how microscopic water bears walk.

These scenarios and more inspired scientists to take a closer look at the natural world this year, but their influence won’t stop there. Discoveries in nature often inspire new designs for water filtration, solar panels, building materials and lots and lots of robots.

Here are ten findings from 2021 that could one day lead to new inventions.