African Wildlife & Environment Issue 77 FINAL ISSUE

NATURE NOTES

SPIDER SILK SECRETS

NADINE CLARKE

Why should we be exploring nature in this way?

We often spend most of our time learning ABOUT something in nature (size, shape, name…), BUT there is so much more going on than what first meets the eye. Using an exploring and discovering lens unlocks many hidden secrets. Questions like what is actually happening here and how this is happening leads to some incredible discoveries. Let us take the spider for example.We have all seen one somewhere…. THE SPIDER STORY Some spiders sit patiently in the centre of their webs.Think about that for a moment. How did the spider make its web?Webs are amazing when you take the time to look at them. It is incredible that a creature with such a small brain can design such a complicated shape.Then think about the silk for a moment? How does the spider make the silk? And then there are different kinds of silk for different parts of the web.The spider also uses silk for everything in their lives from wrapping eggs, to eating and even reproducing. There have been some amazing discoveries when people have taken the time to look a little closer and ask questions about what they are seeing.

We are part of nature and everything that we need and do has already been done in nature.The difference is that we are living in a way that is not kind to the earth. If we take the time to look at how nature operates we can learn so much, about how to live in a thriving way on earth that is sustainable for all earth's inhabitants.

STRONGER THAN STEEL Certain spider’s silk thread is so thin and yet if it is compared to a steel cable of the same thickness it is five times stronger! The silk is incredibly tough and stretchy for its size. It is one of the toughest and most flexible natural materials discovered. Kevlar is a man-made material which is similar in strength and is used to make bullet proof vests. In order for this product to be made we create a huge amount of pollution as we heat and treat the materials and create a lot of waste.The spider makes a similar material out of insects and water at room tempreture! The silk is also so life friendly the spider can eat it. Can we learn something here?

Further research is being done on the recipe of the silk and its structure to learn how to make man-made materials which require low energy and are life friendly.

50 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 77 (2020)