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Team:Groningen/Silk/Background
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| - | There are many arthropods that have the ability to produce silk, most popular being the <i>Bombyx mori</i> silk worm used in the production of silk for clothing. However the spider easily takes the crown in terms of applications. The spider uses its silk as their Swiss Army Knife, some of these uses include, spinnig webs for catching preys, Dragline's for better movement, and for reproduction. Over the 400 million years of evolution the silk is optimized in many aspects. Like with many fascinating phenomena from nature, humans have learned to utilize the spider webs. The Nephila spiders in tropical rain forests (of Papua New Guinea) have powerful webs to catch flying birds, and ancient cultures have used these webs for fishing purposes.</p>< | + | There are many arthropods that have the ability to produce silk, most popular being the <i>Bombyx mori</i> silk worm used in the production of silk for clothing. However the spider easily takes the crown in terms of applications. The spider uses its silk as their Swiss Army Knife, some of these uses include, spinnig webs for catching preys, Dragline's for better movement, and for reproduction <b>[ref]</b>. Over the 400 million years of evolution the silk is optimized in many aspects. Like with many fascinating phenomena from nature, humans have learned to utilize the spider webs. The Nephila spiders in tropical rain forests (of Papua New Guinea) have powerful webs to catch flying birds, and ancient cultures have used these webs for fishing purposes <b>[ref]</b>.</p> |
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| - | The medical properties of spider silk | + | |
| - | <br>The oldest known application of a spider web dates back to from Ancient Greece were it was used as wound dressing. Some other historical mentions date from around 1600. In the Polish book ‘With Fire and Sword’: | + | <table id="layout" align="right" position="absolute" width="20%"> |
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| + | The medical properties of spider silk have been known for a long time; there are many records of uses throughout history. | ||
| + | <br>The oldest known application of a spider web dates back to from Ancient Greece were it was used as wound dressing<b>[ref]</b>. Some other historical mentions date from around 1600. In the Polish book ‘With Fire and Sword’: | ||
<br><i>‘ “This is nothing, nothing at all” said he, feeling the wounds with his fingers. “He will be well to-morrow. I will take care of him. Mix up bread and spider-webs for me! ’</i> | <br><i>‘ “This is nothing, nothing at all” said he, feeling the wounds with his fingers. “He will be well to-morrow. I will take care of him. Mix up bread and spider-webs for me! ’</i> | ||
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<br><i>“I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master cobweb, | <br><i>“I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master cobweb, | ||
If I cut my finger, I shall make bold of you.”</i> | If I cut my finger, I shall make bold of you.”</i> | ||
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| - | Apparently the medical properties of spider webs have been known for a long time. Its use as wound cover improves the recovery without causing problems. What is it that gives the spider silk such excellent healing properties? | + | <p> |
| + | Apparently the medical properties of spider webs have been known for a long time. Its use as wound cover improves the recovery without causing problems. What is it that gives the spider silk such excellent healing properties?</p> | ||
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Revision as of 13:29, 4 October 2013
Background
There are many arthropods that have the ability to produce silk, most popular being the Bombyx mori silk worm used in the production of silk for clothing. However the spider easily takes the crown in terms of applications. The spider uses its silk as their Swiss Army Knife, some of these uses include, spinnig webs for catching preys, Dragline's for better movement, and for reproduction [ref]. Over the 400 million years of evolution the silk is optimized in many aspects. Like with many fascinating phenomena from nature, humans have learned to utilize the spider webs. The Nephila spiders in tropical rain forests (of Papua New Guinea) have powerful webs to catch flying birds, and ancient cultures have used these webs for fishing purposes [ref].
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The medical properties of spider silk have been known for a long time; there are many records of uses throughout history.
The oldest known application of a spider web dates back to from Ancient Greece were it was used as wound dressing[ref]. Some other historical mentions date from around 1600. In the Polish book ‘With Fire and Sword’:
‘ “This is nothing, nothing at all” said he, feeling the wounds with his fingers. “He will be well to-morrow. I will take care of him. Mix up bread and spider-webs for me! ’
And in the famous Shakespearian comedy ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’:
“I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master cobweb,
If I cut my finger, I shall make bold of you.”
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Apparently the medical properties of spider webs have been known for a long time. Its use as wound cover improves the recovery without causing problems. What is it that gives the spider silk such excellent healing properties?
