When reality demands complex and unprecedented answers from us, one of the most interesting methods to find them is biomimicry, which consists of asking nature questions in search of inspiration. In this light, it is worth asking: how does nature deal with emergency situations where an organism's behavior must be quickly modified?
By viewing the city as an organism and the pandemic as an emergency, we can draw compelling parallels with how the body reacts to danger.
When the human body finds itself in a dangerous situation, it assumes a series of involuntary functions to prepare itself to handle the emergency. It receives a rush of hormones that heighten its sensitivity and reflexes. Its limbs receive greater blood flow to gain strength and agility, its heart rate rises, its pupils dilate to widen the field of vision, and breathing becomes rapid, providing extra oxygen to fight or flee. This preparation can also trigger adverse reactions like paleness and stomach pain. This is because the body temporarily shifts its priorities, disrupting our normal functions. Paleness, for instance, occurs because the body prioritizes blood flow to the limbs, reducing the blood supply to the skin.
