Pristine silk fiber integrated into a photonic chip. The fiber connects three light-holding disks. When light is injected into one of the disks, it propagates along the silk to the other two. (Image ...

Take a walk through a forest, and you’re bound to come upon a spider web stretching from one tree branch to the next. The intricacy of the web can leave a person in awe, but what is even more ...

Researchers in China have harnessed the incredible strength of spider silk by genetically modifying silkworms. The result? A remarkable silk fiber that is not only eco-friendly but also boasts a ...

Nephila clavata, a golden orb weaver. — Image by Kinori via Wikimedia / Public Domain Nephila clavata, a golden orb weaver. — Image by Kinori via Wikimedia / Public Domain A new study finds the amount ...

The other day I dove headfirst into a spiderweb while half-asleep inside my camper van. Screams aside, the logical part of me marveled at how fast a single creepy-crawly had woven such an ...

Today, crosshairs are typically made of metal or synthetic fibres. However, there was a time when nature provided the perfect ...

Spider silk, renowned for its strength, toughness, and fineness, is a natural protein fiber produced by specialized glands.

Spider silk—six times tougher than Kevlar and stronger than steel—has now been produced by an unexpected source. Spider silk is a biological protein fiber spun by spiders. Many of these fibers have ...

Scanning electron microscopy images of fibers from engineered spider silk. To validate their computational findings, the Northwestern team used spectroscopy techniques to examine how the protein ...

Silk protein fibers have received wide interest for their mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability. By understanding their natural assembly and spinning processes, it is possible ...