1. Pattern: BRANCHING!

2. Branching in Biology
Branching– an efficient way to distribute and collect materials and energy in biological systems

3. On the left below is a false color image of a resin cast of a human bronchial tree. We see a similar branching pattern in trees. In both cases, branching is an efficient model for collecting and distributing materials.

4. Optic neurons in a blowfly eye and neuron net in a human brain

5. Microscopic view of a mycelium which is the part of a fungus (mold) that absorbs nutrients from other living or dead organisms. This image covers a one-millimeter square

6. Antarctic basket star, coral and the underside of a sand dollar show branching patterns

7. Branching in Plants– above and below the ground– efficient collection and distribution of materials and energy

8. Branching Patterns– unique to species, can be used for identification
Insects are identified by wing venation. A butterfly wing is shown below. A fly is shown at right

9. Branching Patterns– Evidence of Evolution Wing Venation Branching Patterns Are Evidence of Evolution
Fore wing of  Lithopanorpa  pusilla
Photograph of (fossil) wing of  Lithopanorpa  pusilla

10. Another example of branching venation patterns as evidence of evolution
Fore (?) wing of  Agetopanorpa  maculata
Photograph of (fossil) wing of  Agetopanorpa  maculata

11. Some biological branching patterns- like the bronchial tree can be quantified

12. Branching in Physics

13. Flow of Energy---High Voltage Dielectric Lichtenberg Figure and Lightening Bolts

14. Flow of Materials ---Mississippi Delta from 700 km above Earth’s surface --Looks like a pattern of branching blood vessels or lung bronchi branching.

15. Arial photograph of the Colorado River delta

16. Photo of a river in Baja California from space

17. Branching in snowflakes

18. CD in microwave for 5 seconds– don’t do this at home! 

19. Biology/Technology Connection
Nature-inspired network design: recent studies of the efficiency of slime molds and the ability of leaves to function when damaged due to branching patterns in their veins have led to mathematical models for transportation networks

20. Slime Molds vs Transport Engineers and computer scientists

21. Slime Molds and Transportation Networks
Independently, two groups of researchers compared the slime mold’s foraging network between food sources to networks connecting cities.

22. Tokyo Slime Mold in Action!

23. Enter Leaf Veins
Just like in our own circulatory system, a network of veins brings nutrients and water to the cells of a leaf.  Plants have evolved “looping networks” to ensure that a blockage in one pathway doesn’t deprive the entire leaf of nutrients.

24. Scientists punched a hole through the central vein of a lemon leaf and injected fluorescent dye.  The dye was able to spread throughout the leaf despite this disruption. 
Hole in leaf