Nature and blockchain could benefit each other. Blockchain could be improved by taking inspiration and power from Nature. And Nature’s wisdom could be organized and efficiently used with the help of the blockchain.

Stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone

(Jennifer Aaker)

This article tells a story about NatureLand. It is a village populated by animals, endowed with intelligence, and freed from the influence of centralization and money. The main character is a curious and intelligent Hedgehog that traveled between different dimensions to gain knowledge required to built the NatureLand.

Even though NatureLand might seem utopian and futuristic to you, a lot of things described there could be built with what we know today.

This article is a continuation of the previous ones. Initially, the Hedgehog traveled through his native village and met some animals that helped him to get rid of illusions and realize that centralization and money are the main obstacles that made science serve the interests of big corporations rather than general public. However, the rest of the villagers and neighbor villages were still under control of the illusions which have been created by evil witches.

Then, the Hedgehog traveled to the 5th dimension into DeSciLand where he learnt the principles of Resource-Based Economy and got familiar with 31 projects that helped him to turn his scientific ideas into reality and build a free energy device.

Afterwards, the Hedgehog went back to Earth (3rd dimension) to his village, where he found out about the evil witches “poisoning” everything with two types of fogs (money and centralization). The Hedgehog came up with a device that helped to get rid of them, so that the inhabitants of the Earth could implement Resource-Based Economy and appropriate scientific system. Then, the Hedgehog traveled into Cyberspace to learn how to organize DevOps to implement a web-platform called BioUniverse that would help to build Scientific and other systems.

The previous article includes a brief description of how Scientific, Educational, and Medical systems were organized in NatureLand. Everything there was inspired by Nature:

Biomimicry lens and PROTECTION framework

Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature.
And it's a new way of inventing by looking to the natural world for inspiration.
And asking, before we design anything, what would nature do here?
(Janine Benyus)

All organisms have to solve various problems during the course of their evolution. And they had a lot of time to find the best solutions and fine-tune them for surrounding conditions. Nature is the best Teacher and Inventor. The thing is that humanity faces the same design challenges as other life forms do. So, it does makes sense to use Nature-inspired solutions. We just need to recognize and choose appropriate problem-solving strategies for our problems.

Biomimicry is about finding the link between problems faced by different organisms and our own challenges. Then we can use nature-inspired problem-solving strategies for our solutions:

There are 4 examples of Nature-inspired solutions presented on the image above.

The first one is a structural color coating inspired by the physical properties of butterfly wings. It eliminates the need for toxic dyes. The second one is a water collection system inspired by the water collection process found in beard lichens. It is designed for arctic communities struggling with water scarcity. The third one is a fastener inspired by burr seeds. And the fourth one is self-degrading plastics inspired by cellular processes involving chaperone proteins and enzymes [1].

To survive during evolution, life forms need to have an adaptive and resilient strategy. Adaptability is the key to survive in a changing environment. And there are 5 major properties of natural systems that ensure it, namely: resPonsiveness, heteROgeneity, decenTralization, rEdundancy, and CooperaTION. Collectively they are known as the PROTECTION framework [2]:

All systems in NatureLand (Scientific, Educational, and Medical) were designed according to the principles outlined in the PROTECTION framework, so that NatureLand could survive in any conditions.

Blockchain played a crucial role in NatureLand. And this article focuses on the mutually beneficial partnership between Nature and the blockchain. It also describes one of the possible ways of Bitcoin evolution.

Nature really is the best teacher.

What Nature has to teach is more than we have ever imagined.

John Lanier

Blockchain inspired and powered by Nature

The Biomimicry blockchain / Biological Bitcoin

NatureLand blockchain was called Biomimicry blockchain. It was inspired and powered by Nature. The Biomimicry blockchain helped to organize Scientific, Educational, and Medical systems in NatureLand.

Biomimicry was the main scientific discipline. And the main purpose of the Biomimicry blockchain was to provide an infrastructure to organize Nature's wisdom (mostly problem-solving strategies) and optimize nature-inspired innovation development.

The Biomimicry blockchain was developed based on Rootstock. This Bitcoin sidechain is sort of an upgrade to Bitcoin, as it allows to benefit from both Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work (POW) and Ethereum's smart contract capabilities.

Consensus mechanism

Consensus mechanism is the core of blockchain technology. It is a set of ideas and rules used by the nodes of the network to achieve agreement on the state of the blockchain [3].

Proof-of-Innovation (PoI)

The Biomimicry blockchain stored data in blocks about natural systems, their state and characteristics, problem-solving strategies used by them, problems faced by NatureLand inhabitants and everything regarding nature-inspired innovations.

NatureLand had the 'Monitoring and prioritization center' that monitored the state of natural systems and received information about different problems faced by inhabitants of the village. Every 10 days the most imminent problem was chosen by NatureLand Keepers to find appropriate nature-inspired solutions.

So, NatureLand Keepers had to do three tasks:

1. Find and validate the most efficient nature-inspired solution;
2. Validate all the data regarding natural systems and nature-inspired innovations collected during 10 days;
3. Solve a hash to ensure blockchain security;

Every Keeper had a blockchain bio-node to support the network and validate the data and an AI-powered laboratory and appropriate equipment to run experiments and analyze the data to validate the data and find nature-inspired solutions. Also, they could send their proposals to the 'Innovation development center' to materialize their innovations via 3D-printing and test them.

All solutions were evaluated and ranked by the committee of Keepers and AI-powered tools. The first Keeper who proposed the best solution got a chance to propose a block. Every nature-inspired innovation got a name that was used during hashing. Then, the proposed block was validated and verified by the rest of the Keepers and added to the blockchain. So, in essence, NatureLand Keepers mined nature-inspired innovations.

'Yes' to blockchain, 'No' to money. Resource-based economy

If you think about it, money is just an interface to exchange resources.

NatureLand community dealt with resources directly mostly via the 'Resource management centers'.

Plus, some research shows that money blocks creativity and dulls thinking [4, 5]. And building NatureLand took a lot of creativity.

NatureLand inhabitants were motivated by building a system that allows to manage natural resources intelligently and supports everyone instead of financial profits or popularity. Nature's wisdom was the main resource here. It and the Biomimicry blockchain were the heart of NatureLand resource-based economy. There were no markets. There was no money.

The Keeprers and the rest of NatureLand community made their contributions to solve different problems and kept their eyes on the real prize. Helping and improving NatureLand via nature-inspired innovations was the real reward for them.

The bright future of blockchains and blockchain-based systems

In order to survive in a changing environment, natural systems have to adapt. Successful adaptation of natural systems is ensured by five key characteristics (resPonsiveness, heteROgeneity, decenTralization, rEdundancy, and CooperaTION known collectively as the PROTECTION framework).

Just like that, blockchains and blockchain-based systems have to be adaptive and resilient to withstand the challenges of the modern world. And they are, because they meet all the criteria of the PROTECTION framework.

As for the Biomimicry blockchain and its ecosystem, their architecture was built based on different nature-inspired solutions. So, their future was bright even more so.

Inspiration

We are surrounded by Nature. During the course of evolution, our reasoning was shaped to some extent by Nature. Whether consciously or unconsciously, people use nature-inspired strategies to solve their problems. Nature has always been a great source of inspiration for different innovations.

A lot of different aspects of computer science were (most likely) inspired by Nature: programming languages (inspired by natural languages), AI (inspired by natural intelligence), computer itself (inspired by brain (processing unit and memory)), nature-inspired algorithms etc. It is possible that a blockchain and blockchain-based systems were inspired (at least partially) by Nature as well.

Blockchain and DNA

Structural similarities

“Biology” side

Fundamental data units of blockchains are bits (0/1), and the data here are stored as a binary (base-2) code.

“Technology” side

Living organisms have deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is composed of nucleobases of 4 types, namely: (adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), thymine (T)). So, the data in this case are stored as a quaternary (base-4) code.

Functional similarities

DNA and blockchain serve as a data storage for genetic code and computer code, respectively.

Functional data units

“Biology” side

DNA subunits called genes store instructions for proteins and ribonucleic acids (RNAs).

“Technology” side

Blockchain data is stored as blocks.

Regulation

“Biology” side

Gene expression (the production of its product) is regulated by different molecules like transcription factors that can bind to DNA promoters:

“Technology” side

Blockchain code is regulated with the help of input parameters (for functions and methods). Both DNA and blockchain are active in the appropriate context (cell/node), and are inert otherwise.

Replication

Both DNA and blockchain can make copies of themselves [6].

Apart from similarities between DNA and blockchain, there are also some differences. For example, there is no limit on the number of blocks created by a blockchain, while the number of genes in genome is limited and stays constant (there are about 20,000 human genes) [7].

Blockchain-based distributed systems (dApps, DAOs) and living organisms

There are some criteria for life that make life forms different from non-living entities. Some of them are shared by blockchain-based distributed systems. They are summarized below.

Responsiveness and Homeostasis

“Biology” side

All living organisms have to respond to environmental changes and maintain homeostasis (a specific state of equilibrium) in spite of surrounding conditions via positive and negative feedback loops [6, 8].

Positive feedback loop (destabilization of a system; a new equilibrium is established)

For example, fruit ripening:

1 ripe apple -> ethylene (C2H4) production -> (surrounding apples ripen -> more C2H4)x -> all apples ripen

Negative feedback loop (stabilization of a system; the same equilibrium is maintained)

For example, predator-prey relationship:

more prey -> more predators -> over-predation -> less prey -> less predators -> low predation pressure -> more prey...

“Technology” side

The systems respond to external changes and self-regulate themselves (via feedback loops). For example, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty (the difficulty of mining a block) helps to control Bitcoin's supply issuance and block confirmation times according to the changes of its size. The difficulty increases when the block time is less than 10 minutes, and it decreases otherwise (negative feedback loop). Thus, the network tries to maintain homeostasis [6, 9].

Growth and Development

“Biology” side

Growth (quantitative change) is an increase in number of cells of the organism or their size. Development (qualitative change) is the process through which an organism changes and matures (like tissue differentiation).

“Technology” side

Changes in the number of blockchain blocks (elongation) and nodes (in the case of increase) are examples of growth. Qualitative changes of blockchain code and nodes (hardware and software updates and upgrades) are examples of development.

Replication

“Biology” side

DNA makes a copy of itself with the help of some enzymes (DNA replication), when new cells are created.

“Technology” side

Similarly, a blockchain is replicated, when a new blockchain node joins the network. The new node gets the copy of the blockchain.

Reproduction and Inheritance

“Biology” side

Reproduction allows living organisms to produce new organisms that may inherit some characteristics of their parents.

“Technology” side

Blockchain protocol changes may result in making a 'hard fork' (reproduction). The latter is a new chain that functions differently from its 'parent' (original chain). However, it has all the information of the parent prior to hard fork (inheritance). For example, Hive blockchain is a hard fork of the Steem blockchain.

Horizontal/lateral information transfer

“Biology” side

Some living organisms can transfer their genetic information to other organisms. For example, microorganisms can do this via plasmids.

“Technology” side

Blockchains can exchange information with the help of sidechains.

Cellularity

“Biology” side

Living cells have some specific components, namely: DNA and RNA (data storage), ribosomes (units that help to make proteins) (data processing), energy supply systems like ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and membranes and walls for protection.

“Technology” side

Blockchain nodes have similar components like CPU (data processing), memory (data storage), and an energy supply system. All this is protected by insulation materials and a physical case.

Evolution

In order to survive in a changing environment, organisms have to adapt and evolve. Just like that, blockchain protocol and code may be updated and upgraded.  The same is the case for smart contracts, dApps, and DAOs. This allows blockchains and blockchain-based systems to adapt and evolve according to the challenges of the modern world [6].

Nature-inspired computing

There are many algorithms that help to solve different problems in science, business and engineering. Some of them were inspired by natural systems and processes (biological, chemical and physical). One group of nature-inspired algorithms operates on the basis of swarm/collective intelligence, where a group of individuals acts and makes decisions as an entity (ants, bees, fireflies, birds etc.). Their collective behavior is ensured by the self-organization and communication between the members [10, 11].

Let's take a look at one of the swarm-based algorithms called Lion Algorithm (LA) as an example. Lions are social animals and live in groups called prides. The group consists of 20-30 members, among which there are 1-4 male lions (one of them is the leader), female lions, and cubs. The pride always defends its territory from nomadic lions [12].

Nature-inspired algorithms were used in NatureLand to solve different problems in science and engineering and inspired a lot of solutions, including those used for blockchain development and AI.

AI

AI played an important role in NatureLand. It assisted NatureLand community in decision-making, innovation development, monitoring environment, threat prediction, resource management etc. It was inspired by Natural intelligence and powered by decentralized computing power and energy production systems [13].

Organic framework and development philosophy

Organic framework was used to develop all dApps (including BioUniverse) and DAO called NatureHive in NatureLand. It was inspired by a living cell. An application itself was represented by the cell, and its components (Router, Render, and CSS) were inspired by different organelles that communicated via chemicals (pages, requests, css). Blockchain was represented by DNA, and the Server corresponded to a cell membrane [16, 17].

There was just one programming language in NatureLand called BioScript. Its general design and every object, method or function were inspired by Nature.

Power

Computing power system

This system was a decentralized network of bio-computers built on the basis of DNA/RNA and powered by artificial neural networks. These bio-computers were inspired by and looked like living cells. DNA/RNA-based microchips and memory devices replaced traditional silicon microchips and memory devices. Some of these bio-computers used by the Keepers were integrated with bio-nodes [14, 15].

The Biomimicry blockchain bio-nodes were connected with the help of DNA/RNA-based photonic cables and communicated via light. NatureLand Internet infrastructure was built based on the Biomimicry blockchain.

Energy production system

This system was a decentralized network of free energy devices built by the Hedgehog. It provided energy for bio-computers and bio-nodes and the rest of devices in NatureLand. There also were different nature-inspired energy-generating solutions harnessing renewable energy sources (like artificial photosynthesis systems, wind and water turbines, footstep power generation systems etc.). Energy storage systems were built based on ice and salt.

Blockchain is the tech. Bitcoin is merely the first mainstream manifestation of its potential

(Marc Kenigsberg)

Nature on the blockchain

In NatureLand, every static living organism (mostly plants and fungi) was equipped with a special hardware and software, so that anyone could get familiar with its properties (biomimetic, biochemical, healing etc.). The information was provided by the Biomimicry blockchain and presented as holograms:

As for dynamic organisms, their bio-models with the appropriate educational holograms were available at the NatureLand Museum.

Innovation development in NatureLand was organized at the NatureLand Core powered by the Biomimicry blockchain and AI. It was a group of interconnected centers located at the center of NatureLand:

Nature's wisdom center

All the data regarding natural systems and biomimicry collected by NatureLand community were used at this center to create an appropriate API (Application Programming Interface) and NatureSearch search engine and interface to find the required information. This information was used at the 'Innovation development center' to build nature-inspired solutions.

Monitoring and prioritization center

This is where the state of natural systems was monitored and assessed to identify the most imminent problems faced by all inhabitants of NatureLand. The latter was done by the NatureLand Keepers via voting.

Innovation development centers

Problem-solving nature-inspired solutions were built via 3D-printing and tested at these centers. All required resources were provided by the 'Resource management centers'. Newly built innovations became resources themselves.

Resource management centers

This is where decisions were made regarding the most efficient ways of resource management. At these centers, every inhabitant of NatureLand could receive everything needed to survive, including nature-inspired innovations.

NatureLand Core was governed by NatureHive (NatureLand DAO).

BioMons

BioMons was a blockchain-based game to accelerate the pace of Biomimicry research. It was a collectible card game consisted in developing nature-inspired innovations. Players were proposed a problem, and they had to find an appropriate strategy to solve it among the cards they had. While doing so, players also educated themselves about Biomimicry. The BioMons web-platform also allowed them to play this game in a digital format. The original holographic BioMons cards were owned by the Keepers. The rest of NatureLand community could get the copies of them at the 'Resource management centers'.

If players found new strategies or came up with original nature-inspired solutions, they could send this information to the Keepers to validate it and add to the Biomimicry blockchain.

The Keepers with the best innovations were rewarded with the BioMons cards every 10 days. The BioMons cards allowed the Keepers to participate in voting for the most imminent problems, nature-inspired solutions, and make decisions regarding the Biomimicry blockchain and NatureLand vision.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, Nature and blockchain could co-exist, live in harmony, and benefit each other. Nature is not just a supermarket, but is also a museum. Nature's wisdom is one of the most precious resources we have. We just need to recognize it, organize it efficiently, and let it flow into our systems design.

The headline image was composed by me with the help of the web network and world map images.

The Lion algorithm flowchart image sourced from this research [12].

Organic Development code examples image sourced from GitHub [17].

The divider was created by me with the help of the world map image.

All other images sourced from Pixabay or created with the help of PicLumen's free AI image generator.

BioMons game was inspired by Pokémon.

You can also watch the video version of this article here:

Music

"Meeting with the beautiful"

(by Maksym Dudchyk from Pixabay)

(Pixabay License)

References

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