Why is "Bio-inspired photonics" trending?

Wikipedia Overview

Bio-inspired photonics or bio-inspired optical materials are the application of biomimicry to the field of photonics. This differs slightly from biophotonics which is the study and manipulation of light to observe its interactions with biology. One area that inspiration may be drawn from is structural color, which allows color to appear as a result of the detailed material structure. Other inspiration can be drawn from both static and dynamic camouflage in animals like the chameleon or some cephalopods. Scientists have also been looking to recreate the ability to absorb light using molecules from various plants and microorganisms. Pulling from these heavily evolved constructs allows engineers to improve and optimize existing photonic technologies, whilst also solving existing problems within this field.