silk
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These Smart Gloves Use Bacteria-Sensing Silk To Warn Of Risky Exposure
These gloves may look fairly normal, but the warning message on the side is made from a a silk compound which changes colour once they’re exposed to bacteria such as E. coli — providing a means of spotting and avoiding exposure.
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This Spider Catches Prey With A Web Of Electrically Charged Silk
Not all spider silk is created equal. Some spiders spin webs of wet, sticky silk. Others like the Uloborus spider have fluffy webs made of nanoscale filaments. But those fluffy webs are just as good at catching prey, likely thanks to their electrostatic charge.
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5 Creatures That Have Evolved Into Badass Biological Machines
The natural world might be awe-inspiring, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t share similarities with the technological world that we inhabit. In fact, as biologists have come to look at creatures in closer detail, they’ve discovered that some of them have been using basics of engineering — that we now take for granted…
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Violin Strings Made By Spiders Sound Smooth As Silk
The world’s best violins come with strings made from catgut — which isn’t typically from cats, but does definitely come from the inside of an animal. If you want a more vegetarian alternative, though, how about a set made from spider silk?