Nature based weaponry?

Hey guys, for whatever reason, while I was browsing the web, I got to thinking about nature based weaponry. For example I remember seeing a show about how we sort of mimic things we see from the wild in order to make better products, such as looking at a piranha's teeth and applying that to knives.

So this got me thinking about more advanced weaponry that the military might use, such as maybe a sub that uses some sort of advanced masking system that was derived from a squid shooting ink to make a getaway, or a faster moving robot that clears IEDs that mimics the skeletal structure of say a cheetah, to get in and out quicker; as a couple examples of what I am asking about.

reply to post by Wintergreen


The Wright Flyer used wing warping, which was derived from observation of birds in flight. Early delayed cluster bombs, used by the Germans in WWII had a 'wing/scoop' that was roughly derived from samaras ('winged' tree seeds) to help scatter them, and slow their descent. I am sure that there have been more, but there have been a few.

Practicality of the engineering is a big deal. Why reverse-engineer a cheetah when the same outcome is available with existing tech (as an example). Squid ink would do a sub little good, as threats to a sub don't 'see'. However, if you could use a cloud to block/deflect sound waves might be of use. Any bubbleheads can pick up that line and run with it.

Well those were just hypothetical examples as to where my imagination was going. I wasn't trying to say make a robot cheetah or a sub that spews sound blocking ink or whatever.

I guess the whole piranha tooth inspired knife on the show got me thinking about more advanced weaponry, or defense solutions that may have been inspired by a certain part of an animal, or plant, etc, etc...

mimic nature , turtle tank , hawk fighter plane , dolfin submarine ... what ever do you mean ...
I can't think of a single thing ... well maybe
, barbed wire black berry vines , bats radar sonar guidanced weps .
frankly speaking...poisons of every sort , and wepons more numieous than I can report ... no end can I see but thinking...
catagorys.... divide evenly

offensive and defensive divide them in two..

then five main subsets of these do I veiw

1)civil - personal ; I was afraid for my life or the life of another , I want to speak with an attornie

2)civil - crimnal ; police sell the law , but do not stop anything , the primary role of police is to gather evidance ...

martial - occupation ; uniformed army vs. civilian... blend in , step out of the shadow , kill , step back into the shadow , blend in

martial - army Vs. army ; the nature of war is slaughter , its price paid in blood .

martial - commando/ special operations ; get in , do the job , get out , shut your mouth .

so I see ten basic kinds of weapon types , form follows function, weather , philosphy , and so on...

but mainly it comes to this : expensive , low quality , long delivery... pick one , or....

cheap , fast delivery , powerfuly capable and durable ... pick any two...

then I can give you the weapon you desire .

Sugar/Potassium Nitrate 50/50
Then add in some nature by putting a bunch of poison ivy in there with the sugar paste.
It's a homemade smoke bomb but with poison ivy in there..gets the oil in your lungs, pretty bad stuff.

Apparently ice was used a lot in WWII to stop bullets (used like sandbags but obviously much thicker). Ice was also used to form makeshift bridges on the sly and could be as easily destroyed as they are created.