Crocodiles Know a Thing or Two About Solar

Think of almost any human invention and chances are that you can find something similar 
in nature. Case in point: American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) rely on bony armored plates that, like solar panels, absorb sunlight. But instead of generating electricity, the plates help regulate the crocs’ body temperature. These reptiles often live in mangrove forests, which were storing more carbon per acre than rainforests long before the advent of direct air capture technology.