Spiders And Their Amazing Silk

Spiders are able to produce silk on demand from numerous locations on their bodies, and this silk is composed of many different ingredients that give spider silk its uniqueness as a natural material. The most durable form of silk produced by spiders is known as “dragline silk.” Dragline silk is five times stronger than steel and is even thirty percent more flexible than nylon, which makes it ideal as a kind of safety rope that helps spiders avoid falling to their deaths.

Evolutionary biologists believe that spiders were originally ground dwellers, but their need for food forced them to adapt new methods of procuring food sources. Eventually, spiders became so adept at using their silk that catching flying insects became second nature. Modern spiders are also capable of spanning long distances between trees and freefalling at points that seem to be in midair. You have probably seen a string of spider silk suspended between two trees and barely visible thanks to the glistening in the sun, but how exactly spiders are able to span trees like they do is not immediately apparent, but fascinating.

What possible real-world uses could we have for super strong spider silk?