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Cracking Ideas Winter Wonderland

 Welcome to this, the November edition, of the Cracking Ideas newsletter.

Wallace & Gromit's TV Debut

Have you been watching BBC 1 on Wednesday evenings and the exciting new six part series, Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention? Here at Cracking Ideas we were thrilled to be involved in the earlier stages of the innovative programme’s production. To find out more about Cracking Ideas partners Wallace and Gromit’s new starring role check out the Intellectual Property Office’s dedicated page to the series at http://www.ipo.gov.uk/wallaceandgromit.htm

The Wonders of Winter

This newsletter the Cracking Ideas team are taking an autumnal leaf out of Wallace & Gromit’s book and using the first programme’s investigation of the natural world to inspire a look at innovations instigated by Mother Nature.

At this time of year when the days grow shorter and the weather gets colder what does the animal kingdom do to adjust the tougher conditions? Let’s go down to the woods today and gather some cracking inspiration from the mammals, birds and amphibians that live there.

Chilly Inspiration from Nature

During winter frogs descend to the depths of the ponds to the relatively warmer waters, hedgehogs hunker down and hibernate, birds fly south and even earthworms dig down deeper into the soil and wriggle less. Could we as humans learn from these energy conserving animal antics? Obviously it’s not practical for people to curl up in a ball and sleep for months on end (though some of us would like to!) but could we possibly benefit from advances in technology after observation of animals in their natural environment? Could we, for example, look at the way rabbits and hares slow down in the cold in order to conserve energy, then use these observations to make innovative medicines to regulate metabolism? Could we, maybe, engage the methods bears and foxes use to create thicker coats during the winter to invent new fabrics which react to temperature changes?

Your turn

Can you think of a way the winter habits of the animal kingdom could provide inspiration for innovation? Why not try thinking of a way the natural environment and seasonal habits of its residents could inspire you to create a novel Cracking Ideas competition entry at www.crackingideas.com/competition ?

Until next time - stay innovative, continue creating ... oh, and learn from the experts, our furry friends, and KEEP WARM!

Wintry regards
Nick Jenkins
Cracking Ideas