Bioengineering Hyperbook

Department of Bioengineering


Category: Locomotion, Feeding, and Support Systems

Tiny Alchemists: The Chemical Foundations of Termites’ Social and Biological Success  

Termites, Symbiosis, Caste differentiation, Pheromones, Communication, Defense mechanisms

Rosalie Beaudin, Naia Kim, Mattias Sucher, Lucy Wiggers

Marvels of Chemistry: Murmurations and their Chemical Phenomena 

Murmurations, Starlings, Chemical Signalling, Visual System, Crowding Behaviour, Metabolism, Guano

Maeve Ding, Matt Levasseur, Nicole Shen, Rachael Zhang

Physarum Polycephalum (Slime Mold): Chemical Properties  

Slime Mold, Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reactions, Shuttle Streaming, Nutrition, Plasma Invagination

Olivia Cozariuc, Tamir Kegeles, Ethan Levene, Audrey Pepin

Anchored by Chemistry: The Adaptations of Barnacles and Limpets 

Barnacles, Limpets, Organic Matrix, Adhesion, Reproduction, Chemical cues, Defence mechanisms

Laetitia Abdallah, Mohammad Jibran Budullah, Lucas Chan, Ralph El Hajj

Chemical Savants: The Role of Chemistry in Ants’ Survival, Communication and Ecology 

Ants, Exoskeleton, Pheromones, Venom, Chitin, Communication, Ecosystem, Defence, Soil

Jung Hao Cau, Luciana Chambilla Pastor, Fatima Janneh, Ya Lin

The Wasp: Physical Analysis of Body and Movement 

Wasp flight mechanics; Compound eye structure; Wake capture; Ovipositor adaptation; Adhesive; Clap-and-fling mechanism; Morphological optimization; Environmental factors; Aerodynamic stability; Evolutionary biomechanics

Andrew Habelrih, Eliot Azar, Malak Zakaria

A Physics-Based Investigation of Termite Organization and Behaviour 

Termites, Defence Mechanisms, Vibrations, Structural Stability, Material Strength, Thermoregulation, Ventilation, Mound architecture, Mound architecture, Mandibles

Rosalie Beaudin, Naia Kim, Mattias Sucher, Lucy Wiggers

Sea Sponge Supercapabilities: An Analysis of the Physical Properties of Porifera 

Spicules; Biomimetics; Filterfeeding; Lamination; Passive ventilation; Optical properties; Fluid dynamics; Bioluminescence; Holdfasts; Porifera

Olivia Ghiaur, Camille Heaney, Chris Hu, Vadim Zamaruyev

Tunnel Vision: The Naked Mole Rat’s Extended Phenotype 

Naked mole rat, Subterranean environment, Extended phenotype, Energy efficiency, Cardiovascular biomechanics, Thermoregulation, Evolutionary adaptation, Sensory systems, Hypoxia tolerance

Clayton Dame, David Bensemana, Lana Habhab, Min Seo Song

The Physics of Pistol Shrimp and Antarctic Krill 

Pistol Shrimp, Jet propulsion, Energy efficiency, Shockwaves, Antarctic Krill, Pressure Gradient, Cavitation, Hydrodynamic Signaling, Metachronal Stroking, Filtering system

Alaia Krishnan Claveras, Celina Moukarzel, Chloe Chan Lam, Julia Purdue, Lina Benchekor

Superorganism in Flight: The Physics Behind Starling Murmurations  

Murmurations, Starlings, Collective behaviour, Aerodynamics, Structural Colours, Visual Acuity, Predator Evasion

Maeve Ding, Matt Levasseur, Nicole Shen, Rachael Zhang

Adaptive Mechanisms of Locusts: Strategies for Survival in Variable Environment 

Locust, Aerodynamics, Jumping mechanics, Wing deformation, Tracheal system, Respiratory system, Carbon capture, Flight control

Frederic Koran, Claire Leader, Alexandra Stoilova, Alina Weng