“Wow! Look at that! Isn’t it a real fish?” The bionic (仿生) fish, named “Jinlin”, was swimming lively like a real one. It was developed by researchers at Shanghai Ocean University. This invention isn’t just for fun—it shows how humans copy nature to solve problems. That is a science called bionics.

Over millions of years, animals and plants have developed smart ways to survive. For example, kingfishers are experts at moving fast between air and water with very little noise. Through their study, scientists discovered that the birds’ long beaks (喙) enabled this ability. Then they used the knowledge to change the front of the high-speed train. This change cut down noise level, increased speed by 10% and greatly saved energy. This combination (结合) of biology and engineering is the key to success in bionics. And it has set the stage for the rise of other new technologies.

Driven by robotics and AI, bionics has grown rapidly. The AI-powered bionic fish “Jinlin” can be used for environmental protection and deep sea exploration. In medicine, bionic arms can work similarly to real arms. Sensors allow the user to “feel” touch and pressure. Motors help the bionic arms make movements, like human muscles (肌肉). With AI, the bionic arms are able to “learn” new tasks and become smarter over time. These inventions are examples to show how bionics bridges biology and new technologies to solve humans’ problems.

Although so much progress has been made, bionics faces challenges. Nature’s designs are hard to copy perfectly. As for bionic arms, one key area of development is Brain-Computer Interface (脑机接口). More work on direct communication between the brain and bionic arms is required to control movements as naturally as real arms. Researchers are also working on creating new materials and structures which can sense and repair themselves.

While there’s still a long way to go, the future of bionics is full of possibilities. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Maybe you’ll be the next one to change the world!