I'm off to visit a friend in swinging Harano-Machi down Fukushima way today to take in an onsen and soothe my aching bones. That will give me a chance to finish the book I'm reading, the gecko's foot. It's all about "how scientists are taking a leaf from nature's book" to come up with innovations. 
Some of the scientific jargon is a bit tough to swallow but it is a very interesting tome. There is nothing uninteresting about geckos though!
How about using spider-silk to make the next Kevlar®? 
Peter Parker had the right idea.
Another example, the Japanese have been utilizing "the Lotus-Effect®" for years in implementing the Lotus' ability to self-clean on the molecular level on various surfaces, such as self-cleaning bathroom tiles or using titanium-dioxide in paints to wash a house with only rainwater.
It's hard to discern the rippling on this can of Chu-Hi but using Origami, the metal has been folded several times over to use 32% less tin than a non-rippled can. Much like a beetle's ability to fold its wings up into a much smaller space on its back.
Speaking of bugs, Boingboing has linked to a hovering robot that uses nano-technology to make micro-mechanical flying insects. So cool! (Keep your paws off, Military guys!)To avoid accusations of seriousness though, here are the lyric's to Neil Innes'
Godzilla's Return
Blue reptile sleeping in cottonwool clouds
Trample the cities and trample the crowds
Red mammals wriggle in cosmetic mud
People who smell of the smoke and the blood
From the throats of the cities that burn
We are awaiting Godzilla's return
Disciples of horror, behold the messiah
The velvet arena, the hands that perspire
The eyes in the darkness that twinkle and shine
The image of love is doing just fine
Oh how they're willing to learn
We are awaiting Godzilla's return
* Here comes a man with a lung-punished look
Taking down names in a little black book
He spends his weekends digging holes in the ground
While his children decide to go up or go down
And they think they have nothing to fear
Nobody knows that Godziller is here
** Such is the scene as the story unfolds
Down by the railroad our hero beholds
The girl of his dreams in the arms of a cad
Who's modus vivendi is thoroughly bad
Quelle dommage a mais il va sans dire
Donner und blizten, Godzilla ist here
* this verse only in The World "Lucky Planet" version
** this verse only in the Innes Book of Records t.v. version
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