BBC Radio Podcasts from 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter
Insects and mobile phone
Smart phones could become even smarter – thanks to ants, beetles, moths and spiders!
Butterfly and eye implant
Transparent butterfly wings may hold the key to more effective eye implants
Slug and surgical glue
From goo to super glue! Slug slime may hold the key to mending wounds without stitches
Dragonfly and sky spy
The amazing agility of a dragonfly leads to the creation of a new spy drone
Kingfisher and soil erosion
A clever solution to a significant environmental problem based on a kingfisher’s eyelids
Bees and fast deliveries
Sweet moves! The “waggle dance” of the honey bee is helping create faster delivery routes
Jellyfish and underwater robot
The world’s most efficient swimmer is a jellyfish! It’s the inspiration for a new robot
Polar bear and insulation
The science behind some fascinating fur could help humans keep warm in space
Electric eels and medical implants
From heart stopper to heart saver? The electric eel may help power medical implants
Camel and desert architecture
Take a peek into a camel’s nose! The science inside could help to cool desert homes
Lobsters and space telescopes
How a sea creature can help us see more of our universe
Pangolins and Waterloo Station
A tricky design challenge solved! All thanks to the scaly skin of the pangolin
Ants and mini robots
Snap! An ant’s springy jaws are being copied by scientists to help move mini robots
Horseshoe crabs and vaccines
A new synthetic test to create safe vaccines – based on the secrets of the horseshoe crab
Arapaima fish and armour
It’s a “living fossil”! This fish can resist piranhas and is inspiring a new body armour
Barn owl and drone
Learning from Lily the owl – could she help small aircraft cope with turbulence?
Manta ray and pollution solution
Will a ray save the day? It’s inspiring a way to prevent more pollution of our oceans
Cicada and safe surfaces
How an insect’s wings inspired materials that could kill bacteria
Cats and road safety
We love cats (well, many people do)! Thanks to one feline friend, they help keep us safe
Octopus and transplants
The remarkable dexterity of cctopus suckers might help improve delicate surgery
Rose butterfly and solar panels
Their wings aren’t just for show! Butterflies can help us harness energy from sunlight
Sponge and skyscraper
Ever heard of Venus’s Flower Basket? It’s the sponge inspiring bridges and skyscrapers!
Cow and sewage treatment
A cow’s amazing stomach could hold the key to stopping wastewater pollution
Snake and rescue robot
Imagine being rescued by a snake! A new generation of wriggly robots could save your life
Mantis shrimp and aircraft
Bam! The mantis shrimp’s powerful punch could change the way we build cars and planes
Wasp and keyhole surgery
Scared of wasps? They could help keep you alive, perhaps transforming life-saving surgery
Hedgehog and helmet
A hedgehog could save your life! Their spiky quills have inspired a new sports helmet
Camel and cool medicines
Camels are cool. They cope with intense heat, inspiring a new way of storing medicines
Squid and self-healing materials
What if a robot could fix itself? It’s the story of the secret of scary squid suckers
Elephant and robotic arm
An elephant’s trunk is amazing. Imagine a robotic arm with the same capabilities
Season 2 is coming soon!
Get ready to meet 30 more amazing animals. Season 2 begins on 28 June #30Animals
30 Animals LIVE
The "nerd-fest" live show. A scorpion and tarantula, biomimicry bingo and animal music!
Spider and remote sensing
The design of spider webs could help us detect vibrations and turn them into electricity
Butterfly and paints
The wings of one of the most beautiful butterflies could transform paints and textiles
Peacock and computer screen
Unlocking the secrets of the dazzling colours in the tail of the peacock #30Animals
Ant and networks
How road, subway and computer systems could be helped by trails created by turtle ants
Mussel and foetal surgery
Babies in the womb could be saved with the help of a glue based on mussel proteins
Butterfly and butterfly house
Imagine a building based on the shape of an egg – all thanks to the butterfly. #30Animals
Dolphin and tsunami detector
The way dolphins communicate is being studied to create tsunami early-warning systems
Bat and robot
Picture the scene after an earthquake. A robot inspired by bats could survey the damage
Fish schools and windfarm
The way hundreds of fish move together may help the design of wind turbines #30Animals
Bombardier beetle and fuel injection
It blasts a toxic spray at predators. This beetle may help cars be more fuel efficient
Bat and unassisted flight
Imagine flapping your arms and flying. Could we do that based on how the bat does it?
Spider and window glass
How can we prevent millions of birds from being killed by flying into windows? #30Animals
Whale and wind turbine
The shape of flippers may help the efficiency of wind turbines, thanks to humpback whales
Gecko and adhesives
How do geckos walk up walls and across ceilings? It is all down to their “hairy feet”
Spider and rescue robot
Meet the spider-inspired robot that one day might just save your life
Shark and hospital surfaces
Millions of ridged scales make it difficult for bacteria to attach to the skin of a shark
Albatross and drone
Imagine a drone that can master the waves and the wind like the wandering albatross
Stenocara beetle and water collector
It performs headstands in a desert; now this beetle is teaching us how to collect water
Sea otter and wetsuit
Want a warm and waterproof wetsuit? Then take a look at how the sea otter does it!
Desert spider and Mars robot
The cartwheeling spider acrobat that could help us explore the red planet. #30Animals
Cod and antifreeze
Fish living in sub-zero waters are inspiring ways to de-ice planes and store ice cream
Termite and ventilation system
A building which heats and cools itself? How was that possible? Termites had the answer
Mussel and plywood
How a trip to the beach led to the development of a glue and a formaldehyde-free plywood
Firefly and lightbulb
The secrets of a firefly’s glow could help us brighten our lives. #30Animals
Tardigrade and vaccine transport
A tiny creature that may help us make vaccines last longer to move them across the globe
Bat and visual aid
Click, click! A bat’s navigational skills could be life changing to people who are blind
Woodpecker and black box
A bird’s remarkable skull and the quest to protect aeroplane flight recorders. #30animals
Mosquito and surgical needle
The blood sucking pest and a pain free surgical needle #30Animals
Octopus and camouflage
The eight-limbed master of disguise and surveillance technology. #30Animals
Kingfisher and bullet train
The story of the bird and the engineer. How the kingfisher inspired the design of a train
The preview
"It’s about animals which have inspired us": Patrick Aryee explains all #30Animals