News articles tagged with 'silk'
Scientists unravel the mysterious mechanics of spider silk
— 2 Mar 2011 12:01 | BiologyScientists now have a better understanding of why spider silk fibres are so incredibly strong. Recent research, published by Cell Press on February 15th in Biophysical Journal, describes…
Implantable silk metamaterials could advance biomedicine, biosensing
— 13 Aug 2010 08:24 | HealthResearchers at the Tufts University School of Engineering and Boston University have fabricated and characterised the first large area metamaterial structures patterned on implantable,…
If spiders and worms can do it, why can't we?
— 31 Jul 2010 09:59 | BiologyImagine a material that is tougher than Kelvar or steel, yet remarkably flexible. It's something you can easily find in your attic or a lingerie store. It's as instantly recognisable…
Behind the secrets of silk lie high-tech opportunities
— 30 Jul 2010 09:25 | TechnologyTougher than a bullet-proof vest yet synonymous with beauty and luxury, silk fibres are a masterpiece of nature whose remarkable properties have yet to be fully replicated in the laboratory…
A brain-recording device that melts into place
— 19 Apr 2010 08:07 | HealthScientists have developed a brain implant that essentially melts into place, snugly fitting to the brain's surface. The technology could pave the way for better devices to monitor and…
New analysis of the structure of silks explains paradox of super-strength
— 20 Mar 2010 15:10 | TechnologySpiders and silkworms are masters of materials science, but scientists are finally catching up. Silks are among the toughest materials known, stronger and less brittle, pound for pound,…
Spider silk reveals a paradox of super-strength
— 18 Mar 2010 13:28 | ChemistrySince its development in China thousands of years ago, silk from silkworms, spiders and other insects has been used for high-end, luxury fabrics as well as for parachutes and medical…
Glue, fly, glue
— 18 Mar 2010 13:00 | BiologyLike silkworm moths, butterflies and spiders, caddisfly larvae spin silk, but they do so underwater instead on dry land. Now, University of Utah researchers have discovered why the…
Artificial bee silk a big step closer to reality
— 17 Mar 2010 14:20 | BiologyCSIRO scientist Dr Tara Sutherland and her team have achieved another important milestone in the international quest to artificially produce insect silk…
New thread in fabric of insect silks
— 10 Sep 2009 13:17 | BiologyThe aptly named silk worms long appeared to have the monopoly on insect silk production, but now scientists are revealing that the world of insect silks is highly complex…