so many of us care a great deal about the environment at least over here in
the environment at least over here in
the environment at least over here in Europe back in my home country they can
Europe back in my home country they can
Europe back in my home country they can be a little bit confused but here we do
be a little bit confused but here we do
be a little bit confused but here we do tend to mostly care about the
tend to mostly care about the
tend to mostly care about the environment because we care about the
environment because we care about the
environment because we care about the environment we like to think about
environment we like to think about
environment we like to think about whether there’s something we could do
whether there’s something we could do
whether there’s something we could do about it whether there’s something we
about it whether there’s something we
about it whether there’s something we can help with aside from just thinking
can help with aside from just thinking
can help with aside from just thinking about it and talking about it so we have
about it and talking about it so we have
about it and talking about it so we have individual actions that we do to try to
individual actions that we do to try to
individual actions that we do to try to consider the environment and let me give
consider the environment and let me give
consider the environment and let me give you a couple of examples so my first
you a couple of examples so my first
you a couple of examples so my first example is Earth Hour some of you may
example is Earth Hour some of you may
example is Earth Hour some of you may have heard of this it’s coming up in the
have heard of this it’s coming up in the
have heard of this it’s coming up in the next couple of weeks it’s a time when
next couple of weeks it’s a time when
next couple of weeks it’s a time when there’s a coordinated shutdown where
there’s a coordinated shutdown where
there’s a coordinated shutdown where everyone turns off their lights their
everyone turns off their lights their
everyone turns off their lights their electricity and tries to preserve power
electricity and tries to preserve power
electricity and tries to preserve power for about an hour and as I said it
for about an hour and as I said it
for about an hour and as I said it happens in a coordinated way across the
happens in a coordinated way across the
happens in a coordinated way across the globe so that people in your local city
globe so that people in your local city
globe so that people in your local city would all be doing it at the same time
would all be doing it at the same time
would all be doing it at the same time and because of that it does actually
and because of that it does actually
and because of that it does actually seem to have an effect you can measure
seem to have an effect you can measure
seem to have an effect you can measure the decrease in power consumption
the decrease in power consumption
the decrease in power consumption because of the fact that everybody’s
because of the fact that everybody’s
because of the fact that everybody’s turned that their lights off however I
turned that their lights off however I
turned that their lights off however I had this realization a couple of years
had this realization a couple of years
had this realization a couple of years ago but there were a large number of
ago but there were a large number of
ago but there were a large number of people live tweeting Earth Hour
people live tweeting Earth Hour
people live tweeting Earth Hour so they were sitting with phones with
so they were sitting with phones with
so they were sitting with phones with laptops unplugged running on battery
laptops unplugged running on battery
laptops unplugged running on battery power but not thinking through what that
power but not thinking through what that
power but not thinking through what that meant about the fact that they were
meant about the fact that they were
meant about the fact that they were eventually going to have to plug those
eventually going to have to plug those
eventually going to have to plug those devices back in and of course there was
devices back in and of course there was
devices back in and of course there was also power to the servers and the
also power to the servers and the
also power to the servers and the websites that they were using to send
websites that they were using to send
websites that they were using to send these messages maybe not so effective
these messages maybe not so effective
these messages maybe not so effective I’ll give you another example I being a
I’ll give you another example I being a
I’ll give you another example I being a person who has to follow both football
person who has to follow both football
person who has to follow both football and soccer end up flying across the
and soccer end up flying across the
and soccer end up flying across the Atlantic quite a bit
Atlantic quite a bit
Atlantic quite a bit because of this I have a lot of air
because of this I have a lot of air
because of this I have a lot of air miles and if you go to buy an airplane
miles and if you go to buy an airplane
miles and if you go to buy an airplane ticket these days
ticket these days
ticket these days you find that there’s often an option to
you find that there’s often an option to
you find that there’s often an option to offset your carbon footprints by paying
offset your carbon footprints by paying
offset your carbon footprints by paying a little bit of money now this raises
a little bit of money now this raises
a little bit of money now this raises some really interesting ethical
some really interesting ethical
some really interesting ethical questions about the fact that there’s a
questions about the fact that there’s a
questions about the fact that there’s a question about whether it’s you as the
question about whether it’s you as the
question about whether it’s you as the consumer or the airline who should be
consumer or the airline who should be
consumer or the airline who should be really thinking about the carbon miles
really thinking about the carbon miles
really thinking about the carbon miles but there’s also an issue of should you
but there’s also an issue of should you
but there’s also an issue of should you just be paying two sways your own guilt
just be paying two sways your own guilt
just be paying two sways your own guilt now these examples that I’ve given are
now these examples that I’ve given are
now these examples that I’ve given are about individual actions so maybe
about individual actions so maybe
about individual actions so maybe instead of thinking individually we
instead of thinking individually we
instead of thinking individually we should be thinking collectively as a
should be thinking collectively as a
should be thinking collectively as a society about the things that we could
society about the things that we could
society about the things that we could do to help with reducing the carbon
do to help with reducing the carbon
do to help with reducing the carbon footprint and that’s where I think it’s
footprint and that’s where I think it’s
footprint and that’s where I think it’s important to look at some of the maybe
important to look at some of the maybe
important to look at some of the maybe less obvious things that we could be
less obvious things that we could be
less obvious things that we could be doing and the example that I want to
doing and the example that I want to
doing and the example that I want to give today is thinking about the
give today is thinking about the
give today is thinking about the materials that we use to build things
materials that we use to build things
materials that we use to build things maybe not something you’ve thought about
maybe not something you’ve thought about
maybe not something you’ve thought about before but actually concrete and steel
before but actually concrete and steel
before but actually concrete and steel are two very large contributors to our
are two very large contributors to our
are two very large contributors to our global carbon footprint how could that
global carbon footprint how could that
global carbon footprint how could that be why is that well it’s because they
be why is that well it’s because they
be why is that well it’s because they have to be processed at very high
have to be processed at very high
have to be processed at very high temperatures and if something is being
temperatures and if something is being
temperatures and if something is being processed at high temperatures you have
processed at high temperatures you have
processed at high temperatures you have to have a lot of power for the power
to have a lot of power for the power
to have a lot of power for the power plants to heat your kilns and your
plants to heat your kilns and your
plants to heat your kilns and your furnaces and so therefore if you
furnaces and so therefore if you
furnaces and so therefore if you actually look at a pie chart of the
actually look at a pie chart of the
actually look at a pie chart of the global carbon footprint each of those
global carbon footprint each of those
global carbon footprint each of those two materials concrete and steel takes
two materials concrete and steel takes
two materials concrete and steel takes up a chunk that you would find
up a chunk that you would find
up a chunk that you would find surprising and in fact if you add those
surprising and in fact if you add those
surprising and in fact if you add those two together and compare them to the
two together and compare them to the
two together and compare them to the entire global airline industry the
entire global airline industry the
entire global airline industry the materials are about three times the size
materials are about three times the size
materials are about three times the size of the carbon emissions from all of
of the carbon emissions from all of
of the carbon emissions from all of airfare so that’s good I feel better
airfare so that’s good I feel better
airfare so that’s good I feel better now if we want to think about that
now if we want to think about that
now if we want to think about that global carbon footprints of these
global carbon footprints of these
global carbon footprints of these materials then we as materials engineers
materials then we as materials engineers
materials then we as materials engineers are the sorts of people to think about
are the sorts of people to think about
are the sorts of people to think about it but I come from a little bit
it but I come from a little bit
it but I come from a little bit different background I’ve actually been
different background I’ve actually been
different background I’ve actually been working in biomaterials and
working in biomaterials and
working in biomaterials and bioengineering and actually did my PhD
bioengineering and actually did my PhD
bioengineering and actually did my PhD studying how bone heals around metal
studying how bone heals around metal
studying how bone heals around metal implants so it’s maybe not an obvious
implants so it’s maybe not an obvious
implants so it’s maybe not an obvious area for someone like me to be working
area for someone like me to be working
area for someone like me to be working on but actually it was at a Materials
on but actually it was at a Materials
on but actually it was at a Materials Research conference a number of years
Research conference a number of years
Research conference a number of years ago where I first heard about this I was
ago where I first heard about this I was
ago where I first heard about this I was at the conference and there were
at the conference and there were
at the conference and there were lunchtime seminars that were supposed to
lunchtime seminars that were supposed to
lunchtime seminars that were supposed to be general interest and my real interest
be general interest and my real interest
be general interest and my real interest was that there was going to be free
was that there was going to be free
was that there was going to be free pizza so if you’ve ever attended an
pizza so if you’ve ever attended an
pizza so if you’ve ever attended an academic conference you will know that
academic conference you will know that
academic conference you will know that they can be exhausting and so the lure
they can be exhausting and so the lure
they can be exhausting and so the lure of free pizza was something I could not
of free pizza was something I could not
of free pizza was something I could not resist and I figured I could listen to
resist and I figured I could listen to
resist and I figured I could listen to the talk whoever it was it was an
the talk whoever it was it was an
the talk whoever it was it was an environmental minister from Germany and
environmental minister from Germany and
environmental minister from Germany and he was the one who put up these pie
he was the one who put up these pie
he was the one who put up these pie charts showing the global carbon
charts showing the global carbon
charts showing the global carbon footprint and showing how materials
footprint and showing how materials
footprint and showing how materials which was the subject of the conference
which was the subject of the conference
which was the subject of the conference could be playing such a significant
could be playing such a significant
could be playing such a significant effect so that’s the question what can
effect so that’s the question what can
effect so that’s the question what can we do about that so if we think about
we do about that so if we think about
we do about that so if we think about materials through history we know that
materials through history we know that
materials through history we know that early man mostly used natural materials
early man mostly used natural materials
early man mostly used natural materials building shelters would have been using
building shelters would have been using
building shelters would have been using things like rocks tree branches things
things like rocks tree branches things
things like rocks tree branches things that were found in nature may be
that were found in nature may be
that were found in nature may be slightly processed like something based
slightly processed like something based
slightly processed like something based out of clay bricks then we had the
out of clay bricks then we had the
out of clay bricks then we had the Industrial Revolution and the Industrial
Industrial Revolution and the Industrial
Industrial Revolution and the Industrial Revolution is when we became really
Revolution is when we became really
Revolution is when we became really really addicted to concrete particularly
really addicted to concrete particularly
really addicted to concrete particularly reinforced concrete and steel so we had
reinforced concrete and steel so we had
reinforced concrete and steel so we had these materials that could do things
these materials that could do things
these materials that could do things that we could never have done before we
that we could never have done before we
that we could never have done before we could build bridges that spanned very
could build bridges that spanned very
could build bridges that spanned very large bodies of water
large bodies of water
large bodies of water we could build towers and skyscrapers
we could build towers and skyscrapers
we could build towers and skyscrapers and buildings that we had never
and buildings that we had never
and buildings that we had never considered previously but we were doing
considered previously but we were doing
considered previously but we were doing so at the expense of our environment and
so at the expense of our environment and
so at the expense of our environment and we weren’t really thinking about it the
we weren’t really thinking about it the
we weren’t really thinking about it the engineering was very cool and so this
engineering was very cool and so this
engineering was very cool and so this sort of side effect of spending a lot of
sort of side effect of spending a lot of
sort of side effect of spending a lot of our carbon budget on materials didn’t
our carbon budget on materials didn’t
our carbon budget on materials didn’t really truly come up for a long time so
really truly come up for a long time so
really truly come up for a long time so we have this tradition of building with
we have this tradition of building with
we have this tradition of building with very carbon intensive materials how can
very carbon intensive materials how can
very carbon intensive materials how can we innovate how can we think to get away
we innovate how can we think to get away
we innovate how can we think to get away from that now as engineers we can try to
from that now as engineers we can try to
from that now as engineers we can try to innovate by making it less carbon
innovate by making it less carbon
innovate by making it less carbon intensive to use these materials and to
intensive to use these materials and to
intensive to use these materials and to keep building the kind of cool things
keep building the kind of cool things
keep building the kind of cool things that we like to build that is a process
that we like to build that is a process
that we like to build that is a process that’s going on today there are people
that’s going on today there are people
that’s going on today there are people working very hard on making more energy
working very hard on making more energy
working very hard on making more energy efficient furnaces so that you can
efficient furnaces so that you can
efficient furnaces so that you can continue to process concrete and steel
continue to process concrete and steel
continue to process concrete and steel but do so in a way that uses less energy
but do so in a way that uses less energy
but do so in a way that uses less energy and is less bad for the environment
and is less bad for the environment
and is less bad for the environment however is that really innovation if we
however is that really innovation if we
however is that really innovation if we truly want to innovate doesn’t that mean
truly want to innovate doesn’t that mean
truly want to innovate doesn’t that mean we have to do something radical and
we have to do something radical and
we have to do something radical and maybe a little bit different that’s
maybe a little bit different that’s
maybe a little bit different that’s where the theme of this conference is so
where the theme of this conference is so
where the theme of this conference is so interesting jumping off the shoulders of
interesting jumping off the shoulders of
interesting jumping off the shoulders of giants I have three examples of giants
giants I have three examples of giants
giants I have three examples of giants that I want to talk about too from the
that I want to talk about too from the
that I want to talk about too from the past in one more contemporary so in the
past in one more contemporary so in the
past in one more contemporary so in the past there was Leonardo da Vinci and da
past there was Leonardo da Vinci and da
past there was Leonardo da Vinci and da Vinci is very well known for his
Vinci is very well known for his
Vinci is very well known for his sketchbooks and in his sketchbooks
sketchbooks and in his sketchbooks
sketchbooks and in his sketchbooks there are some really interesting flying
there are some really interesting flying
there are some really interesting flying machines that he designed based on being
machines that he designed based on being
machines that he designed based on being inspired by the anatomy and the flight
inspired by the anatomy and the flight
inspired by the anatomy and the flight of birds my second example from the
of birds my second example from the
of birds my second example from the history comes just after World War 2
history comes just after World War 2
history comes just after World War 2 there was a professor at what happens to
there was a professor at what happens to
there was a professor at what happens to be my alma mater University at the
be my alma mater University at the
be my alma mater University at the University of Minnesota and this
University of Minnesota and this
University of Minnesota and this professor Otto Schmidt had a really
professor Otto Schmidt had a really
professor Otto Schmidt had a really unusual background he had degrees in
unusual background he had degrees in
unusual background he had degrees in both physics and zoology so he was an
both physics and zoology so he was an
both physics and zoology so he was an early
early
early 20th century pioneer in bioengineering
20th century pioneer in bioengineering
20th century pioneer in bioengineering crossing this disciplinary divide and he
crossing this disciplinary divide and he
crossing this disciplinary divide and he coined this term biomimetics
coined this term biomimetics
coined this term biomimetics so literally copying nature my third
so literally copying nature my third
so literally copying nature my third giant is Julian Vincent who was a
giant is Julian Vincent who was a
giant is Julian Vincent who was a professor and has been one of my mentors
professor and has been one of my mentors
professor and has been one of my mentors as I’ve come up through my own career
as I’ve come up through my own career
as I’ve come up through my own career and he and his group wrote a really
and he and his group wrote a really
and he and his group wrote a really seminal paper about the fact that nature
seminal paper about the fact that nature
seminal paper about the fact that nature and engineers just do things differently
and engineers just do things differently
and engineers just do things differently Engineers as we’ve seen tend to throw
Engineers as we’ve seen tend to throw
Engineers as we’ve seen tend to throw energy at problems whereas nature
energy at problems whereas nature
energy at problems whereas nature doesn’t use as much energy but uses
doesn’t use as much energy but uses
doesn’t use as much energy but uses information well information biology
information well information biology
information well information biology that’s DNA so in every one of your cells
that’s DNA so in every one of your cells
that’s DNA so in every one of your cells depending on how you counted and some of
depending on how you counted and some of
depending on how you counted and some of these estimates are a little bit dodgy
these estimates are a little bit dodgy
these estimates are a little bit dodgy something around tens of gigabytes up to
something around tens of gigabytes up to
something around tens of gigabytes up to over or tens of megabytes up to over a
over or tens of megabytes up to over a
over or tens of megabytes up to over a gigabyte of information and what is that
gigabyte of information and what is that
gigabyte of information and what is that information do well the information is
information do well the information is
information do well the information is there because you have the DNA it gets
there because you have the DNA it gets
there because you have the DNA it gets translated into proteins proteins have
translated into proteins proteins have
translated into proteins proteins have many many different functions of which
many many different functions of which
many many different functions of which some of them are really as materials and
some of them are really as materials and
some of them are really as materials and you might say wait materials I thought
you might say wait materials I thought
you might say wait materials I thought we were talking about biology but
we were talking about biology but
we were talking about biology but actually if you look at something like
actually if you look at something like
actually if you look at something like bone it’s only three percent living
bone it’s only three percent living
bone it’s only three percent living cells
cells
cells and 97% non living material so don’t
and 97% non living material so don’t
and 97% non living material so don’t think of bone just as a medical thing
think of bone just as a medical thing
think of bone just as a medical thing think of it as a structural thing so if
think of it as a structural thing so if
think of it as a structural thing so if we want to mimic bone we have to
we want to mimic bone we have to
we want to mimic bone we have to understand how it’s made and so we can
understand how it’s made and so we can
understand how it’s made and so we can look at that DNA gets expressed as
look at that DNA gets expressed as
look at that DNA gets expressed as proteins in particular the protein
proteins in particular the protein
proteins in particular the protein collagen which is the most important
collagen which is the most important
collagen which is the most important structural protein in mammals that
structural protein in mammals that
structural protein in mammals that collagen is stretchy and rubbery so we
collagen is stretchy and rubbery so we
collagen is stretchy and rubbery so we need something to make it stiffer and
need something to make it stiffer and
need something to make it stiffer and for that we have ions of calcium and
for that we have ions of calcium and
for that we have ions of calcium and phosphate floating through our system in
phosphate floating through our system in
phosphate floating through our system in our body fluids and those combine and
our body fluids and those combine and
our body fluids and those combine and deposit directly on the College
deposit directly on the College
deposit directly on the College and that’s bone mineral so you have a
and that’s bone mineral so you have a
and that’s bone mineral so you have a composite structure now where you have
composite structure now where you have
composite structure now where you have the protein and you have the mineral
the protein and you have the mineral
the protein and you have the mineral each contributing different things but
each contributing different things but
each contributing different things but when you put them together you get
when you put them together you get
when you put them together you get materials that are stiff strong and
materials that are stiff strong and
materials that are stiff strong and tough especially for their weight which
tough especially for their weight which
tough especially for their weight which is relatively light and this is the
is relatively light and this is the
is relatively light and this is the theme we see all throughout natural
theme we see all throughout natural
theme we see all throughout natural materials that they tend to be
materials that they tend to be
materials that they tend to be composites which engineers only kind of
composites which engineers only kind of
composites which engineers only kind of figured out in the 1980s when we started
figured out in the 1980s when we started
figured out in the 1980s when we started building really cool airplanes with
building really cool airplanes with
building really cool airplanes with composite materials nature’s been doing
composite materials nature’s been doing
composite materials nature’s been doing it this whole time another example of a
it this whole time another example of a
it this whole time another example of a composite material that I’m really
composite material that I’m really
composite material that I’m really interested in is eggshell so you have
interested in is eggshell so you have
interested in is eggshell so you have this membrane which oh is also collagen
this membrane which oh is also collagen
this membrane which oh is also collagen and it’s full of the liquid innards of
and it’s full of the liquid innards of
and it’s full of the liquid innards of the egg and that goes from soft and
the egg and that goes from soft and
the egg and that goes from soft and squishy to a hard substantive egg in the
squishy to a hard substantive egg in the
squishy to a hard substantive egg in the chicken in only 18 hours and you know
chicken in only 18 hours and you know
chicken in only 18 hours and you know that that’s a mechanically robust system
that that’s a mechanically robust system
that that’s a mechanically robust system because you have to work really hard to
because you have to work really hard to
because you have to work really hard to get to your breakfast so we have these
get to your breakfast so we have these
get to your breakfast so we have these interesting materials and the most
interesting materials and the most
interesting materials and the most revolutionary thing about them is
revolutionary thing about them is
revolutionary thing about them is actually the fact that they’re made
actually the fact that they’re made
actually the fact that they’re made under near ambient conditions so chicken
under near ambient conditions so chicken
under near ambient conditions so chicken temperature not being that different
temperature not being that different
temperature not being that different from room temperature certainly not
from room temperature certainly not
from room temperature certainly not anything like what you have if you’ve
anything like what you have if you’ve
anything like what you have if you’ve got a high temperature furnace in order
got a high temperature furnace in order
got a high temperature furnace in order to process really high temperature
to process really high temperature
to process really high temperature materials such as concrete and steel so
materials such as concrete and steel so
materials such as concrete and steel so we have an opportunity here we can make
we have an opportunity here we can make
we have an opportunity here we can make materials and we can make them in any
materials and we can make them in any
materials and we can make them in any shape we want
shape we want
shape we want remember the disadvantage of taking
remember the disadvantage of taking
remember the disadvantage of taking something like a piece of wood out of
something like a piece of wood out of
something like a piece of wood out of the forest is that the shape of it is
the forest is that the shape of it is
the forest is that the shape of it is whatever you get you may have kinks in
whatever you get you may have kinks in
whatever you get you may have kinks in it you may have changes in the
it you may have changes in the
it you may have changes in the cross-section there may be knots in the
cross-section there may be knots in the
cross-section there may be knots in the wood you have no control over that but
wood you have no control over that but
wood you have no control over that but if we make a nature mimicking material
if we make a nature mimicking material
if we make a nature mimicking material like an artificial bone an artificial
like an artificial bone an artificial
like an artificial bone an artificial eggshell then you can control the shape
eggshell then you can control the shape
eggshell then you can control the shape of the thing that you make in my lab
of the thing that you make in my lab
of the thing that you make in my lab that’s what we’re doing right now those
that’s what we’re doing right now those
that’s what we’re doing right now those are the two
are the two
are the two materials we’re working with and I’m not
materials we’re working with and I’m not
materials we’re working with and I’m not going to pretend like we’ve got it all
going to pretend like we’ve got it all
going to pretend like we’ve got it all figured out nature is pretty complicated
figured out nature is pretty complicated
figured out nature is pretty complicated but we can actually make chunks of
but we can actually make chunks of
but we can actually make chunks of material that we can test and we can
material that we can test and we can
material that we can test and we can show that the chemistry and the physical
show that the chemistry and the physical
show that the chemistry and the physical properties are similar to what is found
properties are similar to what is found
properties are similar to what is found in nature to the materials that we’re
in nature to the materials that we’re
in nature to the materials that we’re trying to copy so here we have this
trying to copy so here we have this
trying to copy so here we have this great opportunity as the society we can
great opportunity as the society we can
great opportunity as the society we can decide that we want to do something
decide that we want to do something
decide that we want to do something different in order to dramatically
different in order to dramatically
different in order to dramatically change the carbon footprint by just
change the carbon footprint by just
change the carbon footprint by just saying we’re not going to use these
saying we’re not going to use these
saying we’re not going to use these materials that require high temperature
materials that require high temperature
materials that require high temperature processing and reformulate our building
processing and reformulate our building
processing and reformulate our building and construction industry in order to
and construction industry in order to
and construction industry in order to focus on materials that are inspired by
focus on materials that are inspired by
focus on materials that are inspired by nature when we do that we’re really
nature when we do that we’re really
nature when we do that we’re really engineering things and actually that’s a
engineering things and actually that’s a
engineering things and actually that’s a very important point the base word of
very important point the base word of
very important point the base word of engineering is not engine its ingenuity
engineering is not engine its ingenuity
engineering is not engine its ingenuity [Applause]
”
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