(Portland, Ore.)—The future of engineering, National Geographic’s April 2008 issue argues, lies in biology, where researchers like Kellar Autumn are discovering the incredible potential of biomimicry. Autumn—an associate professor of biology and world’s foremost authority on gecko adhesion—studies the mysteries of what he calls “evolutionary nanotechnology.”

Spurred on by the potential of far-reaching, real-world biomimetic applications, Autumn is bringing his discoveries out of the lab and into the mainstream.

“The scope of this research goes far beyond biology, into engineering and manufacturing,” Autumn said. “Applications could eventually make their way into everyday products used around the world.”

Autumn’s research has already crisscrossed the globe, appearing on five continents in hundreds of newspapers, journals, books, television programs, and Internet articles. Explore this interactive map of some major media placements from recent years to discover the international impact of Autumn’s work.