A vast array of beautiful and fascinating structures appear in nature. One of the most efficient is the honeycomb built by honey bees. Thomas Hales, a mathematician, even demonstrated how the use of a hexagonal tessellation uses the least amount of perimeter, and thus materials, to divide a given plane. In other words, honey bees make exceptionally good use of their space.
Another amazing structure found in nature are prairie dog towns. Their burrows reach varying depths to provide for different purposes. For example, they keep their young in the deepest rooms, which provide the most stable temperatures as well as the greatest protection against predators. Though prairie dog towns now house up to 35 rodents, prior to human incursion, they stretched vast territory. One discovered in Texas in 1900 housed an estimated 400 million, covering an area of 25,000 square miles.
Check out these 9 animal architects to learn more about smart designs in the animal kingdom.