Just-in-Time (JIT)

Biological Parallel

Hummingbirds live just-in-time, with no fat reserves—they starve within hours without nectar. Their metabolism runs so hot (1,200 heartbeats per minute) that inventory storage is impossible; fuel must arrive exactly when needed. Migrating arctic terns travel 44,000 miles annually without carrying food, feeding en route as resources appear. JIT is biology's default for high-metabolism systems: when burn rate exceeds storage capacity, timing replaces warehousing.