Bionics is a branch of science that looks to nature for ideas that can be used to develop materials, structures and processes. Years spent in the Malaysian rain forest gave physicist Ille C. Gebeshuber the inspiration for totally groundbreaking technical applications that benefit society and the environment.

Plants can be used to operate mines. Scientists have come up with dirt repellent surfaces based on cabbage white butterflies, while glass-producing algae and bacteria that create magnets could hold the key to environmentally friendly alternatives for mobile phones and computers.

These are just a few of the discoveries that have been made in recent years. The author explores the latest research findings from this intriguing field, describing her fascination with the colourful world of the jungle and the possibilities for adopting natural principles in research. In her search for solutions to the big problems of tomorrow she employs a wide variety of approaches and research methods which are always designed to ensure the various disciplines involved benefit from each other.