Sea star sports nature’s optic fibres to focus light, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Scientists have discovered a remarkable light-focusing structure in the chocolate-chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus).
• Located at the tip of each arm, this skeletal part contains an array of cone-shaped structures.
• These structures function like optic fibres, transmitting 70% of incident light and concentrating it nearly 3x at the base.
• The array captures light from a 120° field of view and "brightens" it 8x inside the arm.
• This natural design could inspire engineers to develop new lightweight sensors and displays.

Detailed Insights:

• The Protoreaster nodosus, also known as the horned sea star, is commonly found in the Indo-Pacific region, inhabiting shallow sandy or muddy bottoms, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.
• Sea stars possess eyespots or compound eyes at the end of each arm, enabling them to detect light and large environmental structures, albeit with limited resolution.
• This discovery exemplifies biomimicry, a field where natural designs and processes inspire human engineering and technological innovation.
• The sea star's efficient light capture and focusing mechanism offers a blueprint for advancements in optical technologies, potentially leading to more efficient light sensors and innovative display systems.
• The natural structure provides a model for creating lightweight and highly efficient devices for light manipulation.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Optic Fibres: Thin strands of transparent material that transmit light over distances using total internal reflection.
• Biomimicry: An innovative approach that emulates nature's designs and processes to solve human challenges sustainably.
• Protoreaster nodosus: The scientific name for the chocolate-chip sea star, an echinoderm species native to the Indo-Pacific.
• Light Concentration: The process of gathering diffuse light from a broad area and focusing it into a smaller, more intense beam.