Comments on: Fabric made from spider silk

By: muteboy

muteboy — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0000

No zippers required

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:07:00 +0000

Thanks for taking the effort to get the correct quote(s).

Great episode too, IMO.

By: Spriggan_Prime

Spriggan_Prime — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:11:00 +0000

They’ve survived millions of years, I’m confident they’ll be just fine. The kids continue to be alright.

By: Stephan Zielinski

Stephan Zielinski — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:09:00 +0000

Re: “Unlike mulberry silk from silkworms, in which the pupa is killed in its cocoon, the spiders are returned to the wild at the end of each day.”:

So they may starve to death at their own leisure. They’ve just been drained of protein, with no prey-capturing web to show for it.

While I’m at it: they’re not “Nephila madagascariensis“, they’re Nephila inaurata madagascariensis.

By: Bubba73

Bubba73 — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:13:00 +0000

Trouble with spider silk is that’s it’s easy to put on, but a pain in the ass to take off.

By: social_maladroit

social_maladroit — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:46:00 +0000

So you’re a busy female golden silk orb-weaver, walking along, planning your day — maybe thinking about how you’re going to weave some more stabilimenta into your web, or about that cute guy you met last night — what was he, a writer? — when blam! Out of the blue, there’s this voice telling you, “Sorry, lady, you’re comin’ with us. You get to produce silk all day today. Don’t put up a fuss or — you see this rolled-up newspaper I’ve got here?”

Oppose forced golden silk orb-weaver enslavement! Make your voice heard today!

By: Paul Feigelfeld

Paul Feigelfeld — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:15:00 +0000

Zapp: The Spiderians, though weak and woman-like on the
battlefield, are masters of the textile arts. Taste like king crab, by
the way. Crazy bugs actually wove this tapestry of my heroic conquest
while I was still killing them.

[Zoidberg scratches the tapestry and sniffs it.]

Zoidberg: What? It’s not even scratch and sniff? But if
rich people think it’s good, I’ll buy it. [He waves his $300 around.]
One art, please!

[Mom laughs.]

Mom: What a clever impersonation of a stupid, poor person. How much is that placemat actually worth, Brannigan?

Zapp: Exactly $1 billion.

Mom: Now that’s walking-around money!

[She blows her nose on her $300.]

Nixon: [on bill] What? Hey! Wait! Aroo!

By: RJ

RJ — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 07:18:00 +0000

The tapestry is cool, of course. But you mean it’s available to us little guys, too? That is just superior. I would love to own anything made from spider silk, just for the perception of rarity I associate with it.

By: Sarah Shevett

Sarah Shevett — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:58:00 +0000

Tussah silk is gathered from the wild worms after the moths emerge, in fact, rather common.
Bombyx silk is the cultivated silk, where they are killed before emergence.

By: MJEZ

MJEZ — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:07:00 +0000

As far as I remember from my bookbinding classes, they’re boiled alive.

By: LinkMan

LinkMan — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:08:00 +0000

I thought I remembered seeing it here, too, but Google can't find the old post. I think in my case I was thinking of of this Wired piece. Et tu? I actually saw the textile at the American Museum of Natural History a year or two ago and it is definitely really cool.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:20:00 +0000

This stuff was being discussed as the new Kevlar maybe 15 years ago.

In fact, just Google spider silk bulletproof vests and you’ll get a ton of returns.

By: Alvis

Alvis — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:18:00 +0000

All the best spider silc comes from Madagaskar.

By: Subhan Michael Tindall

Subhan Michael Tindall — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:11:00 +0000

@facebook-607675355:disqus , if they let them live the grubs chew through the fibers to get out once they transform into moths. I think you can sometimes find something called ‘peace silk’ or similar that does not involve slaughtering innocent insects, but it is quite uncommon.

By: KBert

KBert — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:02:00 +0000

And the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFF68_bME9E

By: muteboy

muteboy — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:54:00 +0000

‘Listen to the voice of Buddha
Staying, “Stop your sericulture”‘

By: KBert

KBert — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Check the photo @ the Telegraph link… get me to Chicago, I want to see!

By: Rich Keller

Rich Keller — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:46:00 +0000

“The Spiderians, though weak and girly in combat, are masters of the textile arts. Taste like king crab, by the way. The lazy bugs actually wove this tapestry celebrating my victory as I was killing them.”

By: SamSam

SamSam — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:39:00 +0000

How strong is this stuff? I’ve always heard the spiderweb threads are stronger than steel by weight. Can this be the new kevlar?

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:33:00 +0000

A friend of mine went to Madagascar ~ 12 years ago and returned with handkerchiefs made of spider silk.

By: Brent Kirkham

Brent Kirkham — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:32:00 +0000

They kill silkworms???? Now I’m upset. No more silk underwear for me!!

By: Spriggan_Prime

Spriggan_Prime — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:29:00 +0000

I would’ve preferred a web themed pattern, perhaps a spider-man suit would be fitting no?

By: Jamie Austin

Jamie Austin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:22:00 +0000

For some reason I have the impression I’ve seen this on BoingBoing before… but maybe I’m wrong. Awesome and wonderful all the same.