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Spider shows 3D printers what's what, sculpts giant replica of self
A likely new species of arachnid has been discovered with the astonishing ability to "print" an elaborate version of itself to scare away predators. Though other species in the Cyclosa genus make crude decoys, they pale next to the level of detail shown by the newfound spider, which even shakes its webs to make the faux-arthropod creations look more lively. Spotted in a Peru rainforest by biologist Phil Torres, the tiny artisan creates its icky oeuvres using old egg sacs, vegetation and insect carcases in lieu of PLA, crafting canny maxi-me versions complete with features like legs (count 'em in the scary example above). According to samples snapped by Torres at the source, it seems to show a level of self-awareness that might give you pause before your next squish. [Image credit: Phil Torres]
Researchers tout progress in spinning artificial spider silk
We've seen plenty of attempts to mimic spiders in robot-form, but that's not the only bit of inspiration arising from our eight-legged friends, with a number of other researchers also doing their best to artificially replicate the way a spider spins silk. Now, according to the BBC, it seems that a team from the Technical University of Munich has made some significant progress on that front, which could one day lead to a new means of manufacturing strong but lightweight materials. Specifically, the team created a "device" consisting of three channels etched into a piece of glass, which allows for different combinations protein and salts to be mixed together and extruded as a fiber. They are quick to point out, however, that the resulting fiber is not of "particularly high quality," and that while it's a step forward, the whole idea is still "a very big puzzle and there are many pieces missing."
