Nature's Supple System

"Nature" is a kind of supple "system." As obvious as this may seem, it is something that I regard with the greatest importance as an individual scientist. "Natural things" and "living things" use the light elements that exist ordinarily in nature as materials for ideal innovations under normal temperatures and normal pressures, even at the nano level. Moreover, in the majority of cases, they create finely honed functionality and safety.
 

Throughout our history, humans have done little more than produce forgeries in imitation of "things" in nature. Furthermore, our materials have come from a single, non-replenishing resource, namely, petroleum. As a result, an abundance of things and convenience gave the impression during the second half of the 20th century that a seemingly prosperous "world social system" had come into being. Unfortunately, people's minds have not kept pace and a gap has opened between the two, resulting in a phenomenon in which nothing but "anxiety" has grown in people's minds. Whereas science and technology are meant to inspire dreams and confidence in people, it has begun to seem, for whatever reasons, as if that is no longer the case in modern society.

 

There are things humanity cannot imitate

Something that I once heard on the street startled me. Outside a blood-drive truck, I heard someone say, "There is no way to artificially produce blood." Among scientists, there are researchers who believe there is nothing that science cannot accomplish. Yet, being aware of the fact that no matter how advanced science may become there will always be things that science can accomplish and things that it cannot, in my view, is an important key concept if society is to be sustained.

Take, for instance, the way that the fine micron-scale hairs on the back of a gecko's feet displace air. This allows the gecko's feet to adhere to various surfaces. There is no suction and no adhesive substance. If these ultra-structures were artificially created on shoe soles and gloves, a person could then easily climb walls and glass surfaces. There are, however, two problems with such innovations.

First, petroleum continues to be the substance used to make these ultra-structures. Unfortunately, such examples of biomimetics (the mimicry of biological systems using scientific technology) abound. In our use of petroleum to make things in imitation of nature, we have yet to move beyond late 20th-century science. Through our relentless consumption of non-replenishing resources, we build lifestyles for the temporary and exclusive benefit of humanity. At our current pace, the planet will be unsustainable beyond the year 3000.

Secondly, once we have replicated the ultra-structures of the gecko's foot hairs, it no longer matters to us whether the actual living creature that we have imitated, the gecko, disappears from the planet. In such conditions, there can be no notion of protecting biological diversity. The prospects for sustainability are low indeed.

 

Sustainable Innovations

In the 21st century and beyond, ideally innovation will consist of low-tech, energy-efficient, petroleum-free technology that is inspired by nature (beyond mere imitation) and makes use of nature (through utilization of renewable resources). "Sustainable innovation," in other words, consists of technology that works not against nature's systems but rather, as if nature and society were the wheels of a car, in tandem with them in a way that enables the circulation of resources.
 

The Japanese jewel beetle produces its beautiful colors without the use of pigments. Moreover, any individual specimen produces a green and purple-striped pattern with no pinks or blacks. The colors are created by the tightly fit, nano-scale layers in the outer epidermis (skin). This truly is amazing. Moreover, they produce the same colors even when conditions such as temperature and humidity vary when they emerge as adults. These colors can be created without the use of special materials under normal temperatures and normal pressure using only light elements.

This mechanism, used to self generate color without pigments, has been adapted to stainless steel. Such stainless steel self-generates color through nano structures in the outer layers without the use of petroleum-based pigments, and is recyclable because it is pure stainless steel. This scores a 50 for innovation. Plus, this method means that the stainless steel will never change color and never rust, and it is even stronger.

Today we can reproduce close to 200 colors. How fun would it be to stand in a stainless steel kitchen of jewel beetle-generated pink and yellow? Likewise, our cars would never change color and never need waxing were the technology eventually applied to automobile bodies. And automobile bodies could be easily recycled into automobile bodies. I think this would be amazing. Titanium can also be produced in the same way, and was in fact used in the monument for the London Olympics. Incidentally, what was the theme of the London Games? "Sustainability."

 

Using What Insects Leave Behind

There are moths in Indonesia whose larvae produce radiant gold cocoons. These insects (cricula) were once regarded as pests that fed on avocado leaves. There were people who thought about using them and everyone thought about making thread from the golden cocoons.

In that context, I proposed the following. If the golden cocoon was made into fabric, it 

would lose its radiant gold color and result in only a light brown color. One reason that makes retention of the gold color impossible is that the nano structures are destroyed. Thus, I proposed the innovation that we stop trying to make gold thread and instead flatten the radiant gold cocoons and attach them like wall paper by gluing them together with starch. Doing so not only simplifies the work but also preserves the gold color. Moreover, we only use what the adult insect (after eclosion) leaves behind, so our actions in no way contribute to insect decline. The process drew media attention when it was used at EXPO 2005 AICHI JAPAN on the exterior wall of the Japan Zone "Chubu Community for Millennial Symbiosis" pavilion. At the time, we were greatly aided on the Indonesian side by Princess Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Pembayun from Yogyakarta.

Thereafter, this innovation in Indonesia was not only used in lampshades, handbags, and other goods, but our subsequent research further showed that the cocoon thread contained an astounding level of lutein (known for its medicinal use with glaucoma and found abundantly in plants like marigolds). In collaboration with the princess and her circle, today there are many different things being innovated under zero emission conditions, including not just the golden wall paper made by adults but also golden silk foil made by children by cutting the cocoons into small pieces with scissors, as well as lutein that is extracted from the effluent produced during the making of thread.

Moreover, it is now understood that this creature of nature, the cricula, is not a pest that indiscriminately consumes the leaves of avocado trees. Indeed, this one-time "pest" is today a useful insect helping to save the nation, with a portion of profits from the sale of products going to support the planting of avocado trees. Truly, with its healthy relationship between insects, plants, and people, it is a uniquely Indonesian and highly sustainable form of innovation inspired by nature. Any number of additional examples like this could be introduced, if only there were more space here to write about them.

 

Through evolution, living creatures have developed remarkable abilities. These abilities can be found around the world in nearly limitless forms. How can we discover the functions and structures of such soft materials and apply them to innovations based on renewable resources? This is the question behind my "insect technology" as well as the science and technology for a millennial-scale, sustainable society.

 

Diagram 1: Jewel beetles (tamamushi) have nano structures that self-generate color. A tamamushi shrine reproduction and jewel beetle-colored stainless steel flower vase were placed to the sides of the Zero Emissions House at the Toyako Summit site.

 

Diagram 2: Insects around the world include some that create brilliantly colored golden, silver, and bronze cocoons. Some even produce massive, rugby ball-sized cocoons.

 

Diagram 3: Ninety-five percent of a cocoon is protein. The silk is in liquid form when it is still inside the body. Function-rich, biodiverse cosmetics are made with silk proteins after reversion into liquid form.

 

　Profile of  Takayuki Nagashima

 

Doctor of Agriculture. Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture. Professor, Graduate School, Tokyo University of Agriculture. Representative, New Silk Road Project.

The Japanese Society for Wild Silkmoths Advisory Committee, Millennial Sustainability Studies Board of Directors, Japan Organic Cosmetics Association Board of Directors, Japan Micro Nano Bubble Society Corp. Board of Directors, Tomioka Silk Brand Council Advisor, and others

Science Council of Japan Council Member, Japan Science Forum Committee (Science and Technology Agency, 2000)

Survey of Science and Technology for Millennial Sustainability Society (MEXT 2001)

Selected for MEXT "Scientists Creating the Future," 2003 and 2010

Japan Awards for Biodiversity Selection Committee (2012, AEON Foundation)

Innovations Inspired by Nature Selection Committee (2000~)

 

Publications:

Ka ga nokosoku o naosu! Konchu noryoku no kyoi (Kodansha, α Shinsho)

Sennen jizoku shakai: kyosei/junkangata bunmei shakai no sozo (Nihon Chiiki Kenkyujo, co-authored)

Konchu tekunoroji kenkyu to sono sangyo riyo (CMC Publishing, co-authored)

Baiotekunoroji gairon (Baifukan)

Interview Books: Mogi Ken'ichiro - No wa tensai da! (Ed. Nikkei Science, Nikkei Business Bunko)

Tekuno roman intabyu ashita no gijutsu o yume miru kenkyusha ni kiku (Shoko Chukin Bank Institute of Commerce, Industry & Economics)

Shizen ni manabu! Neicha tekunoroji (Gakken)

Kokoro o sodateru kagaku no ohanashi jinbutsuden 101 (Kodansha)

Chikyu Daigaku kogiroku 3.11 iko no sosharu dezain (Marunouchi Chikyu Kankyo Kurabu, Nikkei Publishing Inc.), and more

 

Events: Supervisor, "Chubu Community for Millennial Symbiosis" Biopower, EXPO 2005 AICHI JAPAN; Toyako Summit Science and Technology Presentation Committee, Silk Diversity (UNU), Silky Christmas (Otemachi Bldg., Yokohama Silk Museum), Present, Past & Future of Silk (Food and Agriculture Museum), and more

 

Media Appearances: Morning Bird, "Neicha tekunoroji"; BS Asahi, "Kokosei no kagaku kyoiku ISEF"; TBS Nepurika (regular); Shinhodo 2001; Honma dekka TV; Kinmirai Yosoku Terebi; and more, including numerous radio appearances.