Natures engineering feats.

[Scoby_Beasley]

Went to feed the fish this a.m.. Overnight a spider has managed to send out strands of web in three directions that span an area 8'x6'. In the centre of this it has built a web suspended about 10" above water level and its sat smack bang in the middle waiting for all the midges. Now thats what I call engineering !
Do you think the olympic stadium will go up as fast ?
Does anyone know the human equivalent of the (tensile ?) strength of a spiders web ??

 

[nstreet]

Do you think the olympic stadium will go up as fast ?

I doubt it. It will be late, over budget and then probably never used again, much like the Millenium Dome. That was quoted as being a 'legacy' just like the olympic stadium.

Was the spider on buget?

 

[pipme]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/889951.stm

http://www.howstuffworks.com/news-item38.htm

http://www.apnmag.com/natural selections/summer 03/Spidersilk.htm

"The result is that you have 70,000 goat genes and one spider gene," he says. "That's the reason why the goat doesn't start to look like a spider."

http://www.exn.ca/stories/2000/06/19/56.asp
Thank Chris t for that ... eight legged Goats flying through the air on lengthes of cable would be a little naughty.

Ooops!! "Was that a 1:70000 or 70000:1 mix ?... "

Oh well, so much for SpiderKnit, has the dosh run out? http://www.nexiabiotech.com/en/01_tech/01-bst.php

 

[ninebob]

Goats? Is this where you tell us you're only "kid"ding?

 

[olly_k]

Went to feed the fish this a.m.. Overnight a spider has managed to send out strands of web in three directions that span an area 8'x6'. In the centre of this it has built a web suspended about 10" above water level and its sat smack bang in the middle waiting for all the midges. Now thats what I call engineering !
Do you think the olympic stadium will go up as fast ?
Does anyone know the human equivalent of the (tensile ?) strength of a spiders web ??

LOL I keep carnivorous plants, and spiders have somehow realised how benificial it is to spin a web over and in some of the traps! Little gets but yes I agree there webs are absolutely amazing nature has everything sussed - and perfected!

 

[kendor]

hope you don't have jumping koi carp in the pond

 

[jtaunton]

Went to feed the fish this a.m.. Overnight a spider has managed to send out strands of web in three directions that span an area 8'x6'. In the centre of this it has built a web suspended about 10" above water level and its sat smack bang in the middle waiting for all the midges. Now thats what I call engineering !

And after you'd marvelled at this engineering miracle, not to mention the spider's sheer pluck and determination, what happened to it then ??