Nature’s Mosaics: The Hidden Brilliance of Biological Tiles
In a world where humans often appreciate mosaics for their aesthetic appeal, a fascinating discovery reveals that nature has been creating its own tiled patterns for millions of years—not just for beauty, but for function. These natural mosaics appear across virtually all scales of life, from microscopic virus shells to massive elephant hides, serving crucial roles in survival, protection, and adaptation. As researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin recently reported in PNAS Nexus, these repeating patterns represent an elegant solution that evolution has independently discovered countless times across diverse species and environments.
“These surface designs exist on literally all scales,” explains biologist John Nyakatura from Humboldt University of Berlin. “This is not something that is restricted to just a single lineage, or just a few lineages in biology. It’s a solution that evolution found many times independently.” Intrigued by how these natural patterns might inspire human innovation, Nyakatura and his colleagues cataloged 100 examples of what they term “biological tilings”—organism surfaces featuring repeating units separated by connective material, similar to tiles and grout in human construction. Their extensive research drew from scientific resources, social media, and consultations with experts across biological disciplines.
The diversity of biological tiles in nature is breathtaking in both scale and function. At the microscopic level, the HIV-1 virus protects its genetic material with a protein shell (capsid) composed of hundreds of perfectly arranged protein subunits. Meanwhile, elephant skin features intricate wrinkle patterns that form tiles which serve multiple functions: dispersing heat, retaining water and mud, and protecting against both solar radiation and parasites. Sharks and rays, despite lacking solid bones, have evolved cartilage skeletons armored with thousands of tilelike structures called tesserae. These remarkable structures grow with the animal while maintaining their shape and arrangement, ensuring no protective gaps emerge during development.
The natural world’s tiling solutions extend even further, with fascinating examples throughout evolutionary history. The fossilized shells of ammonites—ancient cephalopods that dominated ancient seas—display recurring squiggly patterns called suture lines that mark where shell segments interlock to form their iconic spiral structure. In the plant kingdom, a sunflower’s head is actually a dense mosaic of small, tilelike flowers called florets, arranged in a mathematical pattern that maximizes their collective appeal to pollinators. Perhaps most delicately, butterfly wings achieve their remarkable properties through overlapping scales that provide not just their stunning colors, but also water repellency and reduced drag during flight.
What makes these biological tilings particularly fascinating is their multifunctionality. While human-designed structures often serve single purposes, nature’s tiles typically provide multiple benefits simultaneously. The size range alone is staggering—from several-nanometers-wide components in viral shells to plates tens of centimeters across on giant turtle shells. But regardless of size, these structures have evolved to balance seemingly contradictory needs: providing protection while maintaining flexibility. “If it’s just a solid surface, then maybe movement would be restricted,” explains Nyakatura, pointing to armadillos as a perfect example. Their tiled armor “can roll almost into a ball in one direction, but in other directions are pretty stiff,” providing both defense and mobility.
The potential applications for human design inspired by these natural patterns are virtually limitless. By understanding the geometries and multifunctional benefits of biological tiles, designers might create transformative products across numerous fields. Nyakatura envisions possibilities ranging from adaptive knee pads that accommodate growing children to building facades with improved cooling properties. “It can be anything,” he suggests, highlighting how nature’s time-tested solutions might help solve contemporary human challenges through biomimetic design. As we continue to study these remarkable structures, the ancient wisdom embedded in biological tiles may unlock innovations we’ve yet to imagine, proving once again that some of our best design inspiration comes from the natural world around us.
