The idea of a spider being catapulted at you at dizzying speeds may sound like a nightmare, but in the Amazon rain forest of Peru, it’s a terrifying reality.
Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology have revealed how ‘slingshot spiders’ can catapult themselves at unsuspecting flies and mosquitos at speeds ‘100 times faster than a cheetah.’
The incredible spiders are able to store enough energy to propel themselves at 4 metres/second, and can sustain forces of 130 Gs – more than 10 times what fighter pilots can withstand without blacking out!
Dr Saad Bhamla, who worked on the study, said: “Unlike frogs, crickets, or grasshoppers, the slingshot spider is not relying on its muscles to jump really quickly.
(Image: Lawrence E. Reeves)
“When it weaves a new web every night, the spider creates a complex, three-dimensional spring. If you compare this natural silk spring to carbon nanotubes or other human-made materials in terms of power density or energy density, it is orders of magnitude more powerful.”
Aside from instilling nightmares, the researchers hope that studying the spiders and their silk stores could potentially provide new sources of power for tiny robots and devices.
The spiders build 3D conical webs with a tension line attached to the centre that the animals pull to launch themselves.
Video Loading
Video Unavailable
If the launch is a success, the spider wraps its prey in silk, while if its a fail, the spider simply pulls the tension line to reset the trap.
Dr Symone Alexander, a scientist on the study, said: “We think this approach probably gives the spider the advantage of speed and surprise, and perhaps even the effect of stunning the prey.
“The spiders are tiny, and they are going after fast-flying insects that are larger than they are. To catch one, you must be much, much faster than they are.”
No comments:
Post a Comment