Business Rabbit Hole Report: Inventions in Everything: Frog Umbrellas

This edition of our Inventions in Everything series is very different, because for the first time, the inventor isn't human....

And so, we add frogs to the growing list of animals that make tools to suit their own purposes. Core77's hipstomp and Rain Noe have some questions:

The amazing photos here, captured by Indonesia-based photographer Penkdix Palme, make you wonder: Was the umbrella's invention biomimetic in the sense that we saw an animal doing this and then emulated them? Or is it simply common sense that early man, caught in the rain, seeks to block it by holding a deflective object above their head?
Whichever you believe, there's no question that Palme's photos are stunning. Your initial reaction may be to assume that they're faked, but Palme's work is being shown by National Geographic, and I'd like to think they would've sniffed out any hijinks.

Previously on Political Calculations

Rediscovering Nature - we find where today's new car designers are being inspired by the boxiest of fish!

Rediscovering Nature: Camouflage - how can a hockey goalie get an edge on the competition?

Inventions in Everything: Frog Umbrellas - the post you're reading right now, but on our site, where you'll also see the picture (in case you're accessing this article on a site that republishes our RSS news feed that doesn't include it!