Page 79 - The Miracle in the Spider

The Miracle of Silk 79

Spiders' Threads Are Stronger than Steel

The spider's silk is a scleroprotein which is emitted from the
spinnerets as a liquid. Scleroprotein is a type of protein that hardens into
a tough elastic structure in contact with the air. Thanks to this protein the
silk is extremely strong. So strong and resilient has spider silk proved

that, on the human scale, a web resembling a fishing net could catch a
passanger plane. 26

Local people use
the threads of the
Golden orb web
spider for fishing,
because its web is
very strong. The
web's golden colour
deceives bees and
insects and draws
them into it.