Investigating how spiders spin their silk, researchers unravel a key step
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 22:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Scientists in Germany have unraveled a decisive step in nature's way of producing spider silk. With industrial partners, they are working toward biomimetic production of synthetic fibers with comparable strength and elasticity. The researchers report how spider silk proteins can be stored in high concentrations without clumping and then drawn at a moment's notice into fibers with five times the tensile strength of steel.