Here’s How a Spider Makes Silk 10 Times Tougher Than Kevlar
Darwin's bark spider silk is three times stronger than iron and 10 times stronger than Kevlar, with the ability to stretch up to 90% of its original size before breaking. The silk's strength is crucial for the spider's survival as it spins webs above bodies of water to capture prey.
Darwin's bark spider silk is the strongest biological material on Earth, being three times stronger than iron and 10 times stronger than Kevlar. The silk can stretch up to 90% of its original size before breaking. Only female Darwin's bark spiders can create webs of this strength, and they are found in Madagascar. They spin their webs above bodies of water, requiring strong and flexible silk to survive. The strength of the silk is key to capturing larger prey. While the silk is too thin to stop a modern bullet, it has been used in the past to protect against shrapnel and low-velocity bullets. Bioengineers are currently working to create lighter-weight body armor using similar properties.
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