S3 Epilogue, Part III

Hippo sweat, taxonomy and the creation of a sustainable future

This photo of a mother and baby hippopotamus was taken early in the 20th century at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids, natural antiseptics and sunscreens, are secreted by the hippo and were the inspiration for a new sunscreen product. In Species, Science and Society, I argue for the importance of accelerated descriptive taxonomy and species exploration to the success of biomimicry in discovering new materials, processes and options for meeting human needs and creating a sustainable future. My podcast this week continues a reading of the Epilogue from the book.