HOW BIOLOGY INSPIRES NANOMECHANICS

From the elasticity of blood vessels to the self-healing properties of bones, the strength of nacre, the smart adhesion of gecko feet, the self-cleaning quality of the lotus leaf and the resistance of the spiderweb, biology offers endless inspiration to nanomechanics, some of which might also bring some changes in our wardrobe. Nicola Pugno, an engineer and physicist at Politecnico di Torino, Italy, has already made the news for his research on hierarchical nanotube or graphene adhesive systems strong enough to suspend a person’s full body weight from a wall or a ceiling but also easily detachable. At Falling Walls, Nicola Pugno, who is the founder and Head of the Laboratory of Bio-inspired Nanomechanics, receiver of the 2011 Starting Grant from the European Research Council, and author of about 180 papers on solid, structural and fracture mechanics, biomechanics and nanomechanics in leading international journals (including Nature and Nature Materials), will present the next wonders from his acclaimed research on bio-inspired nanomaterials. Spiderman fans beware: watching this presentation might take some magic off of your hero.

Nicola Pugno, was an engineer and physicist at Politecnico di Torino, Italy,  until he transfered to the University of Trento in 2012. He has already made the news for his research on hierarchical nanotube or graphene adhesive systems strong enough to suspend a person’s full body weight from a wall or a ceiling but also easily detachable. He is also the founder and Head of the Laboratory of Bio-inspired Nanomechanics, receiver of the 2011 Starting Grant from the European Research Council, and author of about 180 papers on solid, structural and fracture mechanics, biomechanics and nanomechanics in leading international journals.

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