Home / Science / Madagascar Spider Weaves Super-Silk Stronger Than Steel
Madagascar Spider Weaves Super-Silk Stronger Than Steel
31 Jan
Summary
- A tiny spider in Madagascar spins webs over 80 feet across rivers.
- Its silk is stronger and more flexible than steel of the same thickness.
- The spider's silk outperforms Kevlar in toughness and flexibility.
In the dense rainforests of Madagascar, a minuscule spider, barely larger than a coin, constructs astonishingly large webs. These webs can stretch across flowing rivers, with threads extending over 80 feet from bank to bank. Researchers discovered that the silk produced by this spider possesses exceptional properties, outperforming steel of the same thickness in both strength and flexibility.
The silk's unique composition makes it incredibly tough, capable of absorbing significant energy before failure. Scientific tests indicate it is superior to many synthetic fibers used in protective gear. Its toughness is reportedly ten times better than Kevlar, and it stretches twice as far as most orb-weaving spider silks before snapping. The exact reasons for this extraordinary resilience are still under investigation by scientists studying this unique creature.
