Articles tagged with Silk
A study by the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology found that domesticated silkmoths (Bombyx mori) have reduced perception of environmental odors due to centuries of captivity. However, their sensitivity to female pheromones remains intact.
Scientists have discovered three new species of wafer trapdoor spiders in Brazil, expanding our knowledge of the genus Fufius. The discovery highlights the morphological variability of the species and provides insight into their distribution across different environments.
Scientists tap into bug biology to design new materials, such as artificial ligaments and chemical-free pest control methods. The study of caddisfly silk reveals its unique properties, including water resistance and collagen-like behavior. Additionally, researchers use X-ray technology to better understand human muscle mechanics and po...
Physicist Eden Steven found that coating spider silk with carbon nanotubes creates a humidity sensor, strain sensor, actuator, and electrical wire. This sustainable material has potential to replace toxic elements in electronic devices.
Researchers found that adenosine-releasing silk implants can reduce DNA methylation levels in the brain and prevent the progression of epilepsy. The study suggests that the implants could be used to prevent seizures after head trauma or following conventional surgery.
Researchers found that spider webs are more effective at capturing charged insects, with positively charged insects attracting the negatively charged web. This discovery suggests that electrostatic charges may have driven the evolution of specialized webs.
Physicians at UH Case Medical Center are enrolling patients in the ROADSTER Study, a global clinical trial testing the Silk Road System, a minimally invasive procedure to clear carotid artery blockages. The trial aims to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this innovative treatment option for high-risk patients.
A study published in Biomacromolecules has identified a blend of natural fibers like cellulose and silk as a potential scaffold for stem cells to form into chondrocytes, the cells that produce healthy cartilage. The blend provides complex chemical and mechanical cues that induce stem cell differentiation without the need for expensive ...
A Stanford researcher has developed a non-invasive technique to measure the mechanical properties of an intact spider web, revealing surprising variations in stiffness and supercontraction. The study provides insights into the behavior of nature's strongest material and its potential applications in engineering bio-inspired materials.
Researchers have uncovered the elastic properties of spider silk, with variations among fibers, junctions, and glue spots. The findings provide a blueprint for structural engineering of strong, stretchy, and elastic materials.
The devices offer significant improvement in tissue imaging while simultaneously enabling photo thermal therapy, administering drugs and monitoring drug delivery. The biodegradable and biocompatible micro-mirrors dissolve harmlessly at predetermined rates, requiring no surgery to remove them.
Researchers have created synthetic fibers from protein-based raw materials, including those found in hagfish slime, to replace petroleum-based synthetics. The new fibers offer a sustainable alternative for the textile industry.
Researchers at MIT have created new materials inspired by spider silk and music, offering a potential solution for designing new biosynthetic materials. By analyzing the structural elements of music, they were able to predict the properties of new protein-based fibers, leading to the creation of stronger and more flexible materials.
The Illacme plenipes, a millipede species from California, boasts the most legs of any animal group, with females reaching up to 750 legs. Its unique anatomy and adaptations enable it to thrive in its limited habitat near San Juan Bautista, where thick fog accumulation provides a specialized environment.
Two teams explore using natural silk for implantable sensors, compostable lasers, and microfibers integrated into photonic chips. Silk's optical properties make it an attractive material for biocompatible and biodegradable applications.
Scientists at the University of Akron have discovered that cobweb spiders use two different designs to create adhesives with varying strengths, one for firm attachments and another for weak ones. This intelligent design strategy could lead to the development of synthetic adhesives with biomedical applications.
Researchers at Tufts University developed 'transient electronics' that can dissolve in a prescribed time, ranging from minutes to years. These devices promise medical implants that never need removal and consumer electronics that become compost.
Researchers have developed biodegradable electronics that can dissolve in water or bodily fluids, opening new design paradigms for medical implants, environmental monitors and consumer devices. The technology harnesses techniques for making tiny electronic systems out of ultrathin sheets of silicon, which can completely dissolve in a f...
A new video article demonstrates a standardized procedure for harvesting and processing synthetic spider silk from bacteria, improving fiber strength and scalability. The technique has potential industrial applications in industries where spider silk's properties are valuable.
Researchers at Tufts University have discovered a way to stabilize heat-sensitive drugs in silk protein, preserving potency for months at temperatures above 110 degrees F. The technology allows for the development of single devices that can store and deliver vaccines or antibiotics without costly refrigeration.
Researchers developed a silk-based stabilizer that maintains potency of live vaccines and antibiotics even at high storage temperatures. This innovation has the potential to eliminate the need for refrigeration, saving billions in costs and increasing accessibility to third-world populations.
Researchers developed a chlorinated form of silk that kills bacteria and spores in minutes, offering potential uses for protective coatings and water purification. The treatment, which involves soaking silk in a solution similar to household bleach, has broad applications in various fields.
Researchers created fully biodegradable silk scaffolds with high-compressive strength, mimicking native bone features. The composite materials enhanced human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and improved bone remodeling.
Scientists create a simple, inexpensive dip-and-dry treatment to convert ordinary silk into a fabric that kills disease-causing bacteria, including anthrax spores. The new 'killer silk' has potential uses for protective coatings, water purification, and mitigating toxic substances.
Researcher Xinwei Wang found that spider silk conducts heat better than most materials, including silicon and aluminum, with a rate of 416 watts per meter Kelvin. Spider silk also exhibits an abnormal increase in thermal conductivity when stretched.
Researchers found that the egg sac silk of the cocoon stalk was more stretchable than any previously tested egg sac silk. The study, published in PLOS ONE, may provide insight into super-stretchable biological materials and bio-inspired nanomaterials.
Researchers show that spider web durability relies on compensating for damage and stress responses of individual strands. Spider webs sacrifice local areas to prevent failure, a strategy unlike other biological materials.
Scientists at the University of Notre Dame have successfully engineered silkworms to produce fibers with the strength and elasticity of spider silk. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new materials for sutures, wound dressings, artificial limbs, and other textiles. The researchers used a transgenic engineering approach ...
Researchers at Tufts University developed silk-based microneedle systems that can precisely control drug release rates and maintain bioactivity. The technology has the potential to address limitations in existing painless drug delivery mechanisms and prevent local infections.
A large trial in Ethiopia found that self-epilation using clean forceps is an acceptable alternative to surgery for treating minor trachomatous trichiasis. This approach preserves vision and offers logistical advantages over traditional surgical methods, making it a promising solution for low-resource countries.
Researchers at MIT have created an analogy between the physical structure of spider silk and the sonic structure of a melody, showing that the structure of each relates to its function in an equivalent way. The study reveals that structural patterns are directly related to functional properties such as lightweight strength and sonic te...
The study reveals unique genes that contribute to the spider mite's resistance to pesticides and its ability to produce silk threads. This breakthrough provides new insights into the evolution of arthropods and offers opportunities for developing more effective crop protection strategies.
Scientists have developed a fast and reliable scientific test to authenticate the age and authenticity of priceless silk tapestries and treasures. The new method tracks time-related deterioration in silk protein, providing accurate measures of age within 50-100 years.
The Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute has developed a fast and reliable method to date silk using capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry. This technique measures the natural deterioration of silk's amino acids to determine its age, providing a scientific clock for estimating silk's age.
Researchers discovered that a small domain in spider silk proteins is responsible for forming strong threads. The N terminal domain plays a crucial role in designing long threads with great tensile strength.
A new study develops and tests genetically engineered spider silk for safe and efficient gene delivery, offering a promising alternative to viral vectors. The material successfully attaches to diseased cells and injects DNA without harming mice in lab studies.
Researchers observed that spiders increase decorating activity in response to severe web damage but not light damage, suggesting the purpose of silk decorations is to make webs more visible to predators. This study helps unravel the mystery of why orb-weaving spiders decorate their webs.
Researchers develop new method to unreel silk from wild cocoons without damaging strands. The technique allows for long, strong fibers, opening up the silk industry to new regions with wild silkworm populations.
Researchers Claire Rind and Luke Birkett discovered tarantulas shoot silk from their feet when they lose their footing. The silk is produced by microscopic spigots on the spiders' feet, which are distributed across the foot's surface.
Researchers from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a new curtain fabric that is lightweight yet absorbs sound. The new textiles absorb five times more sound than conventional translucent curtains, making them suitable for various rooms such as offices and auditoriums.
Researchers deciphered the molecular structure behind spider silk's remarkable mechanical properties, discovering that soft amorphous subunits contribute to its elasticity and crystalline subunits determine its maximal toughness. The study's findings may aid in designing artificial silk fibers with improved performance.
Researchers have uncovered the key to spider silk's incredible strength and toughness, revealing a serial arrangement of crystalline and amorphous subunits that outperforms random structures. This breakthrough may lead to the design of artificial silk fibers with similar properties.
Researchers at University of Michigan have created a new coating that traps and transports molecules through nanopores, enabling the study of single biomolecules with unprecedented precision. This breakthrough technology has significant implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Researchers identify biochemical mechanisms in Casertana and Large White pigs to produce more flavorful and leaner pork products. The study aims to develop new pig breeds with a desirable combination of leanness and flavor.
Researchers created the first large area metamaterial structures on implantable bio-compatible silk substrates, providing a promising path towards developing novel biomaterial-inspired biosensors and biodetectors. The silk metamaterials retained their resonance properties while implanted under muscle tissue, opening up possibilities fo...
Researchers at Tufts University have made significant advancements in silk materials, transforming them from commodity textiles to high-tech applications. The development of silk hydrogels, films, fibers, and sponges enables advances in photonics, nanotechnology, electronics, adhesives, and microfluidics.
Researchers have successfully produced native-like spider silk in a metabolically engineered bacterium, opening up new avenues for sustainable materials and biomedical applications. The artificial fiber exhibits comparable mechanical properties to native spider silk, with high strength, extensibility, and stiffness.
Researchers have identified key genetic mutations causing Behçet's disease, a vascular condition leading to severe ulcers and skin lesions. The study found three genes associated with the disease, paving the way for new treatments.
A new study reveals that female jumping spiders fight with different rules than males, skipping preliminaries and engaging in all-out battles. The researchers found that the motivation behind a female's fighting behavior is her proximity to reproductive age and desire to protect her nest.
A well-preserved village in China's Sanyangzhuang offers a unique glimpse into daily life in Western China during the Han Dynasty. The site features remarkable finds such as tiled roofs, brick foundations and metal tools, suggesting a relatively affluent community despite its remote location.
Scientists have discovered that a molecular switch in spider silk controls fiber assembly, enabling the creation of highly stable and elastic fibers. The breakthrough opens the way towards biomimetic production of ultra-strong fibers with applications in various industries.
Research published in Thorax found tobacco use and brand appearances in 15 commercially successful UK films between 1989 and 2008. Despite a 80% decline in five-minute tobacco intervals, imagery persisted across all age categories, including those deemed suitable for children and young teens.
A new brain implant made from silk has been developed to monitor and control seizures, as well as transmit signals past damaged spinal cord areas. The ultrathin flexible implants can record brain activity more faithfully than thicker devices, with potential applications in epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological disorders.
Researchers discover that weak hydrogen bonds produce stronger materials when confined to specific spaces, leading to enhanced ductility and self-healing capabilities. This unique arrangement of atomic bonds enables silk to surpass steel in strength tests, with potential applications for future materials.
Researchers used computer models to simulate silk's molecular and atomic mechanisms, revealing the arrangement of atomic bonds responsible for its strength. The study found that a critical size of beta-sheet crystals is necessary for silk to exhibit ultra-strong and ductile characteristics.
Researchers at CSIRO Australia have successfully produced hand-drawn threads of artificial honeybee silk, rivalling the strength of natural silk. The breakthrough is a significant milestone towards developing biomimetic materials for various industries.
Researchers discovered that caddisfly larvae's underwater silk adhesive is sticky and has potential to be used as a medical bioadhesive in surgery. The silk, known as 'rock rollers,' may be useful for sticking wet tissues together, similar to using a wet Band-Aid.
Biocompatible silk-based optical waveguides have been developed to meet the growing need for photonic components in biomedical applications. These waveguides are fabricated using direct ink writing and can be readily functionalized with active molecules.
Using silk templates, researchers have created composite structures with unique properties. The bio-enabled approach mimics natural material growth processes, allowing precise control over particle size and spacing. The resulting films exhibit high tensile strength, elasticity, and toughness.
A new species of pink-winged moth, Lithophane leeae, has been identified by University of Arizona biologist Bruce Walsh in the Chiricahua Mountains. The discovery highlights the region's vast biodiversity and suggests that more individuals may exist, considering the moth's habits.