Spider Strengh

[Richie Stan]

Just how strong is a spiders web compared to steal of the same width?

And what has the most tensile strength? in nature or man made?

Does anything beat the web for width/strength?

[Skids]

Spider silk is approximately 3000 times stronger than steel, which is why research is currently ongoing in order for spider silk to be used as an engineering material.

[Richie Stan]

I see the future����� A building site of genetically engineered spiders, all with little yellow hard hats on.

Well we still have �health and safety� in the future.

[Nick.Detroit]

Polynesian fishermen use spider silk as fishing line.

In the New-Hebrides spider silk was used to make nets for the transportation of arrow points, tobacco and dried poison for the arrow points.

Some tribes in New-Guinea used webs as hat to protect their head from the rain

During WWII spider silk was used as hairs in measuring equipment. The Americans used the threads of the black widow in their telescopic gun sights.

In 1709 Bon de Saint-Hilaire, demonstrated the possibility of making fabric from silk.

[Nick.Detroit]

So ...pretty useful stuff.

Can't seem to get my head around a 100ft spider spinning a suspension bridge though..

Another sleepless night awaits ...

[mr_pointment]

i make spiders web 5 times as strong as steel,at the same time being so elastic it can stretch more than twenty-five percent of its normal length before breaking.must be a contender for the tensile record.

[newtron]

Check these sites out:

http://www.physorg.com/news70640529.html
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/End%20of%20the% 20World/Genetics%20Nightmare/spider_goats.htm

Apparently with some clever genetic engineering, goats may be able to provide us with large quantities of spider silk for industrial uses. Pretty cool stuff.

[Hamish]

Single wall carbon nanotubes should be about 30-60GPa (1.5 for Spider silk) - strength.