Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn about a cool invention called Velcro. It’s something that helps Squeaks, our little friend, put on his coat all by himself. Velcro is super handy because it uses special pieces that stick together, making it easy for Squeaks to close his coat without struggling with buttons.
You might be surprised to learn that Velcro was inspired by nature! A long time ago, a man named George de Mestral was out walking his dog. As they walked through some plants, George noticed that small seeds got stuck to his clothes and his dog’s fur. Curious about these sticky seeds, he took a closer look under a microscope.
What he saw were tiny hooks on the seeds, which are called burrs or sometimes stickums. These hooks grabbed onto the fabric of his clothes and his dog’s fur. This gave George a brilliant idea: to create something that sticks just like those burrs.
George invented Velcro by mimicking the burrs. One side of Velcro has tiny, stiff hooks, and the other side has soft, flexible loops, just like the burrs and fabric. When you press the two sides together, the hooks catch onto the loops, keeping them stuck until you pull them apart. This makes Velcro super useful because you can stick and unstick it many times!
When we take ideas from nature to create new things, it’s called biomimicry. “Bio” means life, and “mimic” means to copy. So, biomimicry is all about copying living things. George used biomimicry to invent Velcro by copying how burrs stick to soft things like fabric and fur.
Plants use burrs to solve a problem. If a plant drops all its seeds right next to it, there won’t be enough space for them to grow. The parent plant uses the water and soil, leaving little for the seeds. So, plants need to spread their seeds far away.
Some plants have seeds that blow away in the wind, like dandelions. Others have tasty fruit that animals eat, carrying the seeds away. But some plants use burrs to stick to animals. When an animal brushes against the plant, the burrs stick to its fur. As the animal moves, it spreads the seeds to new places.
Isn’t it amazing how plants have such clever ways to spread their seeds? And how we can learn from them to create useful things like Velcro? Now, let’s get Squeaks’ coat Velcroed on and go play! Have you ever found burrs stuck to your clothes? What other amazing plants would you like to learn about? Let us know!
See you next time at the fort!
Nature Walk and Burr Hunt: Go on a nature walk with an adult and look for burrs or other seeds that stick to your clothes. Bring a small bag to collect some of these seeds. Once you’re back, examine them closely with a magnifying glass. Can you see the tiny hooks? Talk about how these hooks help the seeds travel to new places. How do you think this helps the plant grow?
Velcro Art Project: Create a fun art project using Velcro. Gather some craft supplies like felt, paper, and small objects. Use Velcro to stick different pieces together to make a picture or a small sculpture. Think about how the Velcro holds everything in place. How is this similar to how burrs stick to fur or fabric?
Design Your Own Invention: Imagine you are an inventor like George de Mestral. Look around your home or garden and find something in nature that you think could inspire a new invention. Draw a picture of your invention and explain how it works. How does it solve a problem, just like Velcro helps Squeaks put on his coat?
