Name: The magnificence of spider silk
Uploaded: 2011-12-07T15:50:05Z
Duration: 14 min 11 s
Description: Cheryl Hayashi studies spider silk, one of nature's most high-performance materials. Each species of spider can make up to 7 very different kinds of silk. How do they do it? Hayashi explains at the DNA level -- then shows us how this super-strong, super-flexible material can inspire.

Cheryl Hayashi studies spider silk, one of nature's most high-performance materials. Each species of spider can make up to 7 very different kinds of silk. How do they do it? Hayashi explains at the DNA level -- then shows us how this super-strong, super-flexible material can inspire.

The magnificence of spider silk

Spider silk is one of the most versatile and high-performance natural materials, boasting over 40,000 spider species each able to spin up to seven unique types. Some silks can stretch to more than twice their original length, while others rival or surpass Kevlar in toughness. The secret lies in a single gene family that evolved over 380 million years, leading to an amazing diversity of silk proteins. These remarkable fibers are fueling innovation in medicine and technology, from artificial tendons to lightweight armor.