High in the sky, the transparent glass is life-threatening to the flying birds. According to statistics, glass has become the primary threat to the fatality of birds. To address this problem, the cooperating team organized by Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany has inspired by spider web and designed a special glass through eight years of efforts. Test results show that, 66% birds will avoid this special glass, which will largely reduce the deaths of birds caused by striking the glass.
The idea of designing this kind of glass was inspired by the spider in the nature. The cobweb of some spiders can reflect ultraviolet to avoid being destroyed by birds; while the birds’ retina contains a kind of cone cell that can receive ultraviolet, in addition to the three kinds of cone cells the same as the human’s. Most birds have the vision of ultraviolet rays, which is used to look for food and partners. This perception contributed to the successful development of this glass, where materials that can reflect ultraviolet are added in the glass and made into web pattern. In the eyes of birds, it’s a glass with non-transparent web pattern; while for human beings, it’s still a transparent glass.