GE scientists achieve thermal imaging breakthrough based on study of butterfly wings

Scientists at GE Global Research have been studying the iridescence of Morpho butterfly wings, hoping to find 21st century applications inspired by the five-million-year-old natural technology. This month they announced that by combining those iridescent properties of Morpho wings with more recent nanotechnology, they have created what could become the next generation of thermal imaging sensors, the heat detection tech used in night vision goggles, advanced medical diagnostic devices and surveillance cameras, to name just a few examples. It’s another achievement for GE’s photonics program, which works with applications involving light. And another one based on biomimicry, which looks to nature and natural processes for technological inspiration (for example, computer scientists have learned a great deal about improving network security by studying the patterns of bees in a hive).