The spider's silk has long been admired by scientists as useful and incredibly robust to produce quality products in the future. Scientists perceived it as five times stronger than steel as well as elastic, soft and flexible during high temperatures. However, producing quality silk products using spider webs are quite tricky.
According to the Guardian, spiders are territorial and cannibalistic in nature. Therefore, collecting materials is not usually considered as economically viable. Their threads are so fine, but it would take millions of spiders to produce a kilogram of silk.
Scientists have been trying to find ways on how to turn spider webs into something useful for the economy and business. Recently, in Northern California, the solution to it has been discovered by Bolt Threads. They have revealed the first products made of fibers developed that offers similar benefits of spider silk.
Bolt Threads Replicates Spider Web
The goal of reinventing the web from spiders is to make clothes softer, stronger, and more durable to use. Scientists have worked the lead Bolt Threads for almost six years in a lab behind closed doors. And just recently, the idea and the invention were unveiled revealing the details of the system.
The Bolt Thread system can replicate the spider's silk on a large scale which produces fine fibers made up of sugar, water, salt, and yeast.
"That is a really exciting concept because you are seeing this steady march of science, engineering and technology finding newer and better things to help improve our society as we get more people on the planet, [with] limited resources and trying to always push the envelope of what we are trying to do in a sustainable way," Chief executive and Co-founder, Dan Widmaier said.
According to researchers, the fibers will be used by companies as ingredients to manufacture their own products. The Bolt Threads Company is now having 50 staffs in California and has raised $40m to finance its operation.
The new innovation promises a more flexible and elastic fibers which can use during high temperatures. These are just a few benefits of spider silk that fascinates scientists.