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NEWS ABOUT: arachnid

Spider Silk Discovery Opens Way to Super Matter

Method may "make it possible to build bricks from straw'

(Newser) - Spider silk is yielding secrets that could pave the way for incredibly strong building materials, researchers say. MIT scientists found that the silk uses a unique crystal structure that makes it both strong and able to bend without breaking. They believe it is possible to copy that structure to turn... More »

Killer Spiders Invade Sydney

Warm weather blamed for influx of funnel-webs

(Newser) - A heavy infestation of funnel-web spiders is giving Sydney residents the jitters. Experts say the spider—one of the deadliest and most aggressive in existence—is arriving in unusually large numbers because of warm and wet weather. The spider's bite can be fatal within two hours, although no Australians have... More »

World's Biggest Web-Spinning Spidey Found

Rare African orb-weaver spins 3-foot webs

(Newser) - A gargantuan new species of orb-weaving arachnid found in South Africa is the biggest web-spinning spider ever discovered, scientists say. The female Nephila komaci has a leg span bigger than a man's hand and spins webs more than 3 feet wide, the BBC reports. Arachnophobes will be glad to hear... More »

Scientists Build a Better Web—by Adding Metal

(Newser) - Scientists have combined spider silk with metal atoms to boost web strands' already-phenomenal strength, reports Ars Technica. The breakthrough experiment advances the science of creating ever-stronger materials, as well discovering a successful method to bond metal to biological material. Experiments are already under way to make chicken eggs stronger. More »

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