Honeycomb

LIGHT, STRONG STRUCTURE

For millions of years, bees have been producing one of the wonders of nature: the honeycombs found in their beehives. These small, hexagonal wax cells, used as nurseries for larvae and as stores for honey, are a model of material efficiency. In fact, of all geometrical shapes that can be assembled to form a flat surface, hexagons use the least raw material. Bees make the rows of their hives saving time and energy, and the resulting structure is strong enough to hold the hive’s own weight and that of the honey it contains.

Honeycomb-inspired materials are found everywhere: airplanes, boats, trains, cars, satellites, containers, doors and panels, protective equipment, etc. Inspired by the beehive’s hexagons, one company developed a wheel whose tire is not made of inflated rubber but of flexible polymer cells instead. Compared to other types of structures, researchers have found that hexagons are the most effective for distributing vehicle weight and offering the required strength. They hope to fit military vehicles with puncture-proof tires, thereby keeping their occupants safer.

For more information on the animal:
The Secrets of Honeycomb

For more information on the technology:
How It Works: Airless tires