Articles tagged with Silk
Researchers have discovered three well-preserved silkworm cocoons at an archaeological site in Uzbekistan that push back the earliest verified date for silkworm cultivation outside of China by nearly 2,000 years. The findings suggest that East Asian mulberry sericulture had reached southern Central Asia as early as 4,000 years ago.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed high-performance silk with 50% greater tensile strength and reduced shrinkage after wetting. By altering silkworm diets, they added plant-derived cellulose nanofibers to improve silk fibers' properties.
A newly discovered Australian ballista spider uses a silk-powered snare to target and capture the highly aggressive green tree ant Oecophylla smaragdina, launching its prey into the air with incredible power and speed. The snare is triggered by the prey's reaction and stores elastic energy in the silk to release it rapidly.
Researchers discovered that spider webs, particularly those with environmental debris, can collect viable fungi from agricultural ecosystems. This approach allows for the recovery of living organisms that can be further studied, providing a supplementary sampling surface for capturing biologically relevant particles.
Scientists at Tufts University and Imperial College London develop a new method to transform silk into high-performance solids that preserve its natural strength. The resulting material is remarkably tough and has exceptional properties similar to wood, while also being transparent to visible light.
Scientists have developed a new manufacturing method that preserves silk's crystalline structure, creating strong, transparent plastic-like materials. These materials can twist terahertz light and may enable components of 6G networks to be made from upcycled silk.
Researchers at King's College London and San Diego State University identified the molecular interactions that give spider silk its exceptional strength and flexibility. The findings provide general design principles for developing high-performance, sustainable fibers.
Researchers create silk iron microparticles that can be guided using a magnet to deliver drugs and treatments precisely to sites in the body. The development has potential applications in regenerative medicine, cancer therapies, and cardiovascular disease treatment.
MIT researchers have developed a way to produce large amounts of silk microneedles to deliver agrochemicals and nutrients to plants, showing promising results in treating chlorosis and adding vitamin B12 to tomato plants. The technology has the potential to serve as a new kind of plant interface for real-time health monitoring and biof...
Researchers discovered that aligning protein chains and increasing hydrogen bonds through stretching make spider silk stronger, tougher, and more elastic. The study aims to design engineered silk-inspired proteins for strong, biodegradable materials like sutures and body armor.
A POSTECH research team found that EGF/EGF-like domains interact with GlcNAc-based biopolymers to achieve strong underwater adhesion without oxidation, leading to durable and reversible bonds.
Researchers found that slingshot spiders can listen for approaching insects before releasing their web to catapult forward and capture prey. The spiders use sound-sensitive hairs on their legs to detect the vibrations from the insects' wings, allowing them to deploy their webs in mid-air.
A new COF sensor can detect pH changes in plant xylem tissues, providing early warning of drought stress up to 48 hours before traditional methods. This technology enables timely detection and management of drought stress, optimizing crop production and yield.
A team of scientists has developed a novel method to explain the behavior of water-responsive materials, which can change shape in response to humidity fluctuations. This breakthrough could advance efforts toward clean energy production, robotics, and bioelectronics.
Researchers at Tufts University develop a web-slinging technology that shoots fibers from a needle, solidifies into a string, and adheres to objects. The innovation uses silk fibroin solution with added dopamine and chitosan to increase tensile strength and adhesiveness.
New research from Binghamton University reveals that Mexican jumping bean larvae respond differently to various lighting conditions, with red light stimulating the most vigorous jumps. However, damage to their 'bean' hosts hinders their ability to jump away from stressors.
Researchers found significant challenges in spider silk production, including scale-up issues and toxicity concerns. The study highlights potential host organisms for producing spider silk, such as microbes and bacteria, to address these challenges.
Researchers create a new type of artificial spider silk by modifying protein sequences to produce a strong, yet stable material. The resulting silk is woven into bandages that boost wound healing in mice with osteoarthritis and diabetic skin lesions.
Researchers at PNNL create a uniform two-dimensional layer of silk protein fragments on graphene, enabling the design and fabrication of silk-based electronics. This biocompatible system has potential applications in wearable and implantable health sensors, as well as computing neural networks.
A new filtration material developed by MIT researchers uses natural silk and cellulose to remove persistent chemicals, including PFAS and heavy metals. The material's antimicrobial properties help keep filters clean, providing a nature-based solution to water contamination.
Researchers found that butterflies spin unique silk structures, including hook-and-loop fasteners and multi-strand safety tethers, to secure their chrysalises to branches. Despite being thinner and weaker than silkworm silk, these structures provide a stable anchor for the butterfly's transformation.
Researchers found spider webs match acoustic particle velocity for wide range of sound frequencies. Spider silk responds to air particles in a sound field, not just sound pressure, and may inspire new microphone designs.
A team of researchers from MIT created a lightweight, compact, and efficient mechanism to reduce noise transmission using a sound-suppressing silk fabric. The fabric uses vibrations to cancel out unwanted sounds in two different ways, one for small spaces and another for larger areas like rooms or cars.
Researchers at RIKEN successfully spin artificial spider silk that closely matches natural production, mimicking the complex molecular structure of silk. The eco-friendly innovation has potential benefits for environment and biomedical fields.
Researchers successfully produce full-length spider silk proteins using genetically modified silkworms, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic commercial fibers. The production of spider silk fibers is six times tougher than Kevlar used in bulletproof vests.
A new device combines rapid hemorrhage management, infection control, and sensing capabilities for long-term monitoring. The device features a tunable biodegradation rate and can detect bleeding in real-time using a nanowire-based capacitive sensor.
Scientists have studied the internal parts of spider silk using an optical microscope without cutting it open. The analysis revealed that the fiber consists of at least two outer layers of lipids and numerous fibrils running in a straight, tightly packed arrangement. Understanding how to create such strong fibers is crucial for produci...
A study by researcher Breno Arsioli Moura investigated the depictions of Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment in illustrations published in the 19th century. The study found several inaccuracies, including the incorrect location where the experiment was performed and the method used to harness electricity from the clouds.
Scientists have created a method to produce synthetic spider silk with eightfold higher yields than previous methods, making it a promising material for sustainable clothing production. The new silk fibers retain the desirable properties of enhanced strength and toughness while being lightweight.
Researchers found that orb weaver spiders' glue proteins differ in proportion between dry and humid environments, enabling rapid adaptation to local conditions. The study sheds light on the evolution of biological glues and their potential applications in industry and medicine.
Researchers found a partial response in a patient with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma, as well as stable disease in 11 patients, when combining riluzole with sorafenib in a phase I trial. The combination was safe and tolerable, and further exploration of its potential is warranted.
Researchers used silk from silkworms and spiders to create nerve conduits that successfully repaired severed nerves in animal models. The study found that the porous walls of silkworm silk tubes allowed for nutrient exchange, while spider silk threads served as a guiding structure for regenerating tissue.
A team of MIT researchers has created an 'unclonable' label system to combat counterfeit seeds in Africa, where fake seeds can cost farmers up to two-thirds of expected crop yields. The system uses biodegradable silk-based tags with unique codes that cannot be replicated.
Researchers have developed a microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants, which can precisely deliver controlled amounts of agrochemicals to specific plant tissues. This method has the potential to improve crop quality and disease management while minimizing resource wastage and environmental contamination.
Researchers mimicked silkworms' head bobbing to create consistent micro- and nanofibers with minimal equipment. The new method produces uniform filaments and doesn't produce clumpy fibers.
Scientists at Tianjin University have discovered a way to make silkworm silk 70% stronger than spider silk by removing its sticky outer layer and manually spinning it. This breakthrough could lead to the production of profitable high-performance artificial silks, revolutionizing industries such as biomedicine and tissue regeneration.
This study reveals genetic insights into artificial selection and ecological adaptation in silkworms, identifying 468 domestication-associated genes and 198 improvement-associated genes. The pangenome dataset also sheds light on the origins of domesticated silkworms and their economic traits.
Researchers at Tufts University have created silk-based materials with exceptional water-repelling properties, surpassing those of current nonstick coatings. The modified silk can be molded into various shapes and forms, making it suitable for a wide range of consumer products and medical applications.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a method to create a three-dimensional gel from spider silk proteins that can be designed to deliver functional proteins. The gel has the potential to revolutionize regenerative medicine, enabling controlled drug release and tissue engineering applications.
A new light-based sensor harnesses the light-guiding properties of spider silk to detect and measure small changes in the refractive index of a biological solution, including glucose and other types of sugar solutions. The sensor is practical, compact, biocompatible, cost-effective, and highly sensitive.
Researchers at MIT develop a biodegradable system based on silk to replace microplastics added to agricultural products, paints, and cosmetics. The new material is made from widely available and less expensive silk protein, which can be dissolved using a scalable water-based process.
Researchers investigated the cell adhesion behavior on spider silk fibers, films, and nanofibers. The study found that native spider silk exhibits superior properties for medical use, preventing blood clots and enduring repetitive loading and unloading.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed edible fluorescent silk tags with QR codes to verify whiskey authenticity, which can be activated with a smartphone scan. The technology has the potential to combat fake medications and address counterfeiting issues worldwide.
A team from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation has created a method to repair tendons using silk fibroin scaffolds, which showed improved healing and regeneration of injured tendons. The scaffold combines silk fibroin with GelMA to promote cell attachment, growth, and differentiation.
Researchers created edible tags with fluorescent silk proteins to track medications, providing a new way for consumers to verify authenticity. The codes are readable by a smartphone app and can be ingested without causing harm.
Researchers at Binghamton University discovered that orb-weaving spiders use their webs as extended auditory arrays to capture sounds, allowing them to detect prey and predators. The study found that the spiders can respond to sound levels as low as 68 decibels and localize sound sources with 100% accuracy.
New research suggests Joro spiders could colonize the entire East Coast of the US due to their ability to withstand cold temperatures. The spiders' fast metabolism and high heart rate also contribute to their potential spread.
Researchers have produced double-sided spider silk fibers that can attract nerve cells and stimulate their growth. The fibers were created using a biotechnological approach and modified with different proteins to make one side more attractive to cells, while the other side could be used to attach factors or substances.
The study's findings provide a foundation for developing efficient protein isolation techniques from insect powders, which could help address global hunger and malnutrition issues. Insect-based protein sources are rich in essential amino acids and offer a sustainable alternative to traditional farming methods.
Silk's unique properties make it a promising material for biomedical devices, wearable sensors, and optics. The researchers aim to harness its versatility for future technologies, including reducing food waste.
Researchers tested spider silk from seven species and found no signs of antimicrobial activity, casting doubt on previous reports. The team attributed methodological shortcomings to compromised studies, suggesting that the silk may serve as a physical barrier rather than an intrinsic antimicrobial agent.
A team of researchers at Washington University in St. Louis has developed artificially designed, amyloid-silk hybrid protein produced in engineered bacteria that surpasses the strength and toughness of natural spider silks, as well as steel and Kevlar.
Researchers created a plant-based, sustainable material that mimics spider silk for single-use plastic replacements. The new material is strong like many common plastics and can be made at an industrial scale.
Tufts University researchers develop a silk-based leather material with similar texture and flexibility to real leather, using sustainable sources and environmentally friendly chemical processes. The material can be printed into various patterns and textures and is biodegradable.
Researchers at Shinshu University have successfully edited the silk moth's temperature sensor to induce dormancy based on day length, similar to its ancestral species. This breakthrough sheds light on the molecular mechanisms behind environmental adaptation in insects and has significant implications for the sericulture industry.
Researchers create harp-like instrument to play spider web music, revealing structural features through sound and vision. The team explores potential uses for spider-mimicking 3D printers and developing a language with spiders.
USU researchers developed a three-dimensional cell culture surface using silkworm silk to grow skeletal muscle cells, outperforming traditional methods. Cells grown on silkworm silk showed increased mechanical flexibility and proper muscle fiber alignment, mimicking human skeletal muscle more closely.
Tohoku University researchers created stronger silk by mixing cellulose nanofiber into the silkworms' diet, resulting in a 2.0 times increase in strength compared to non-CNF fed silkworms. This innovative approach uses environmentally friendly materials and shows promise for producing sustainable biomaterials.
A team of paleoclimatologists found that a prolonged megadrought in Arid Central Asia hindered human movement and reduced overland travel between eastern and western Central Asia. This climate shift, lasting 640 years from 5820-5180 BP, isolated agricultural regions and delayed cultural exchange along the proto-Silk Road.
Researchers have developed a new nanomaterial from the silk of the Tetranychus lintearius mite, which has promising biomedical properties. The material is biocompatible, biodegradable, and able to penetrate human cells without damage, making it ideal for use in pharmacology and biomedicine.