Spiders (Araneae) make up a remarkably diverse lineage of predators that have
successfully colonized most terrestrial ecosystems. All spiders produce silk, and many …

Biomimetics, the transfer of functional principles from living systems into product designs, is
increasingly being utilized by engineers. Nevertheless, recurring problems must be …

Scalable computational modelling tools are required to guide the rational design of complex
hierarchical materials with predictable functions. Here, we utilize mesoscopic modelling …

The extraordinary mechanical properties of spider dragline silk are dependent on the highly
repetitive sequences of the component proteins, major ampullate spidroin 1 and 2 (MaSp2 …

The evolutionary diversification of orb-web weaving spiders is closely tied to the mechanical
performance of dragline silk. This proteinaceous fiber provides the primary structural …

Spider orb webs have evolved to stop flying prey, fast and slow alike. One of the main web
elements dissipating impact energy is the radial fibers, or major ampullate silks, which …

Peripheral nerve reconstruction through the employment of nerve guidance conduits with
Trichonephila dragline silk as a luminal filling has emerged as an outstanding preclinical …

Spider orb webs are multifunctional structures, the main function of which is to dissipate the
kinetic energy of the impacting prey, while minimizing structural damage. There is no single …

Orb-weaving spiders are good objects for evolutionary research, but phylogenetic
relationships among and within orb-weaving lineages are poorly understood. Here we …

Traps are rarely used by animals, despite the plausible benefits of broadening the number
and diversity of prey that sit-and-wait foragers might be able to capture. The most well …