Photo courtesy: Wikipedia
Tough, stretchable, strong and beautiful. You are probably thinking of steel. Nope. It’s the gorgeous yarn that spiders weave to make their webs- delicate yet strong gossamer.
Spider silk is said to be twice as elastic as nylon, stronger than steel and tougher than the synthetic fabric Kevlar (registered trademark) that is used in body armor because of its superior ability to stretch.
Gossamer or spider silk is the thread that a spider spins to build its web. Spiders build webs to catch their prey or use them as nests to care for their young ones. However, not all spiders spin webs. They all nevertheless produce the silken strand to catch their prey. Spiders build their webs on trees, burrows, corners and crevices, and even on water.
Scientists have long been fascinated by the quality of spider silk and have wondered if they could be spun into fabric just like silk from silkworms. Unfortunately, unlike silkworms, spiders don’t do well when held captive. They are cannibalistic in nature and tend to eat one another when put in this situation.
The Silk Route
Spider silk begins its journey in the spider’s silk glands found in its abdomen. These glands produce a protein rich gel like substance called dope. Dope is then spun into silk by the spinnerets of the spider. The liquid solidifies once it comes into contact with air. This is one of the reasons that scientists find it difficult to replicate this process in the lab because of the complicated nature of the process.
World’s First Spider Silk Fabric
Awed by the properties of spider silk, some researchers embarked on a project where they tried weaving silk obtained from spiders. Of all spiders, the golden orb spiders are prized for their dazzling silk yarn that has a deep golden hue.
