Toadskin Lichen

Toadskin lichen's blistered, pustular surface isn't disease - it's architecture. The bumps increase surface area for gas exchange and light capture while the valleys channel water. This sculptural approach to the same problem other lichens solve with flat surfaces shows that multiple solutions can work.

The business parallel is unconventional approaches that achieve the same outcomes as standard solutions through different means. Toadskin lichen doesn't optimize the obvious parameters (flat surface for light capture); it finds a different design that works for its specific conditions. Innovation often comes from redesigning the problem, not optimizing the standard solution.