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The Super Strength of Spider Webs

The ability of fictional superhero Spider-Man to swing off city skyscrapers using his sticky web has fascinated many of us. But however amazing it appears to be, the superpower is unrealistic, right? Not completely, scientists say.

Spider silk is in itself a very strong material. In fact, it is about five times stronger than steel in weight-for-weight terms. Even so, this doesn’t thoroughly explain the strength of spider webs. It was not until recently that scientists discovered why spider webs are able to withstand huge forces.

The scientists found through a study that it is not just the remarkable strength of the silk spiders spin, but also a web’s intricate design that increases its durability. The creation of a typical web uses up a huge amount of a spider’s energy, so it contains a series of features which prevent major repairs from being needed.

Its complex structure means that when a single strand of web breaks, the overall strength of the web increases rather than weakens. Removing up to 10 percent of the threads from various areas made the web not weaker but actually up to 10 percent stronger. When a weight was applied, only one thread broke – so the spider could do minor repairs rather than start from scratch.

In previous studies, researchers also found the silk itself has an ability to soften or stiffen to withstand different types of loads – unlike any other natural or man-made fiber. In tests against three other materials made into similar webs, the spider silk was six times more resilient to damage when subjected to falling branches or high winds.

The scientists believe the findings could be used to help design a new generation of super strength materials. The intricate design of the spider web could be used in many areas of life to contain damage to a small area, said study co-author Markus Buehler, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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