... is the concluding phrase of a National Geographic article about the natural LEDs found in some butterflies (hat tip to Design Watch, again). These butterflies have mirrors and photonic crystals in their wings that amplify their fluorescence. The physicists in the article are surprised that this technique has been found in nature, since this is the same technique used to create highly efficient LEDs. Here's what a physicist in the U.K. says:

"Nature has had to come up with very elegant and ingenious design protocols in order to achieve a significant control over the flow of light," Vukusic said. "Those are design protocols which may point the way to newer, better, more efficient systems."

Protocols are artifacts of thought -- maybe that is why the physicist had to personify "Nature"? Also, keep in mind that "ingenious design" is semantically equivalent to "intelligent design."