On Naming an Emerging Field of Biomimicry: Microbial Biomimicry

This proposal is offered in recognition of the immense potential of the microbial world and to give a distinct field identity to a biomimetic way of engaging with microbial life - one that looks beyond microorganisms solely as subjects of biological study or sources of biological applications, and instead examines them as sources of transferable principles and systems for translation across any domain of human innovation. This paper establishes the naming and provenance of Microbial Biomimicry only. A companion field-definition paper, setting out the field's structure, scope, and methodology, is forthcoming. Version 2 updates the Provenance Statement to record the earliest documented public use of the term as 4 September 2019.