Wild Engineers explores how nature solves the functions engineers care about most: regulating temperature, managing flow, strengthening structures, protecting from fire, and more. Hosted by Melanie Farmer, with Master’s degrees in Biomimicry and Managing Innovation, each episode translates biological strategies into practical engineering insight, with a focus on building services.
Wild engineers
Claim This Podcastby Melanie Farmer
5.0(2 reviews)
5 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇦🇺
Podcast Overview
Wild Engineers explores how nature solves the functions engineers care about most: regulating temperature, managing flow, strengthening structures, protecting from fire, and more. Hosted by Melanie Farmer, with Master’s degrees in Biomimicry and Managing Innovation, each episode translates biological strategies into practical engineering insight, with a focus on building services.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
6/30/2026
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Recent Episodes
July 15, 2026
Ep 5 How Nature Moves Fluids
<p>How a city in California stabilised chlorine levels in water 87% faster than conventional methods, inspired by seashells. </p><p><strong>Function:</strong> Move fluids </p><p><strong>Biological model:</strong> Logarithmic spirals and vortices in nature </p><p><strong>Engineering translation: </strong>Pax Impeller® and the Thousand Oaks water case study </p><p><strong>Sources / further reading </strong></p><p>• Bejan A. The Physics of Life: The Evolution of Everything. 2016. https://share.google/OjFZVJZpxo3F58JKC </p><p>• City of Thousand Oaks case study on Pax mixer performance. https://cleanwater1.com/pax-mixers</p><p>• Harman J. The Shark’s Paintbrush. 2000. https://share.google/XtwGscrlkDAgCI4xx</p><p>• Pax Scientific. Innovative Technology: How the Pax Impeller Works. https://paxscientific.com/water-tech</p><p>• Vogel S. Life in Moving Fluids. Princeton University Press; 1994. https://share.google/MlCCBYrLMDXvyaqSa</p><p><strong>Image credits </strong>• Spiral shell via Canva • Impeller via Pax Scientific via AskNature.org </p><p>Written and produced by Melanie Farmer. </p><p>Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.</p>
July 8, 2026
Ep 4 How Nature Maximises Strength with Minimal Material
<p>How Airbus cut 1,000 kilos of weight from each A380 airplane, making them stronger in the process, by learning from bone structures.</p><p><strong>Function: </strong>Maximise strength with minimal material</p><p><strong>Biological model:</strong> Trabecular bone </p><p><strong>Engineering translation:</strong> Topology optimisation in aircraft structures</p><p><strong>Sources / further reading </strong></p><p>• Elelwi M, Botez RM, Dao TM. Structural Sizing and Topology Optimization Based on Weight Minimization of a Variable Tapered Span-Morphing Wing for Aerodynamic Performance Improvements. Biomimetics. 2021;6(4):55. https://share.google/kAtasd2IGKmRoOvYy</p><p>• Zhu JH, Zhang WH, Xia L. Topology Optimization in Aircraft and Aerospace Structures Design. Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering. 2016;23:595–622. https://share.google/fHZNqODNsBG8s7A9g</p><p><strong>Image credits </strong>• Bone via Canva• A380, Keta via Wikimedia </p><p>Written and produced by Melanie Farmer. </p><p>Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.</p>
June 30, 2026
Ep 3 How Nature Protects from Fire
<p>How Banksia shrubs inspired researchers to develop a solution where pine wood resists ignition even at 1008C. </p><p><strong>Function: </strong>Protect from fire </p><p><strong>Biological model:</strong> Oldman Banksia (Banksia serrata) follicles </p><p><strong>Engineering translation: </strong>Heat-activated self-sealing material concepts tested at the Max Planck Institute</p><p><strong>Sources / further reading </strong></p><p>• Australian Plants Society. Banksia serrata. https://share.google/qAj9SpOmx1eZ5Z11o</p><p>• Huss JC, et al. Temperature-induced self-sealing capability of Banksia follicles. 2018. https://share.google/111FL5JbKTnukWWM3</p><p>• Huss JC, et al. Protecting offspring against fire: Lessons from Banksia seed pods. 2019. https://share.google/w72njJAFMxvELUjEi</p><p><strong>Image credits </strong></p><p>• Banksia pod via Canva </p><p>• Max Planck Institute, Jörg Abendrot via Wikimedia </p><p>Written and produced by Melanie Farmer. </p><p>Podcast: Wild engineers. For learning and inspiration. Music and production completed in Movavi 2026. Please validate any design application for technical use.</p>
5 total episodes available
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This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
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