Find out how the complex morphology of spider fangs could provide the solution to a new series of next-generation, ultra-sharp cutting tools inspired by natures wonders.
Spiders : The Master In Silk Cutting
We traditionally associate spiders with their amazing web-weaving skills. However, do you know that these arachnids have also a unique gift of cutting one of the most difficult matters to our little minds, their very own silk and even artificial fibers like carbon and Kevlar.
This nifty cutting is so precise it has mystified scientists for years. Previously, the accepted belief was that spiders have a specific enzyme to break down silk fibers so they could reuse them. But even with this chemical explanation, it couldnt account for how amazingly fast the spiders act to dangerously cut through their web!
A team of scientists from the University of Trento, coordinated by Professor Nicola Pugno and researcher Gabriele Greco, decided to investigate further. In so doing, they sought to discover the secret of spiders’ remarkable cutting talent and even try to emulate it in order one day to build new model cutters for industry.
The Serrated Fangs Of ‘The Cutting Edge: Spiders’
To determine how the spiders managed to slice so effectively, the scientists subjected their fangs to careful examination using a scanning electron microscope. And well they’d be right because what they found was truly incredible.
What enables these spiders to do this so smoothly is a feature of the structure of their fangs. The serrations — teeth-like projections — running along the fang had a functionally graded spacing observed by the team. The space increases as one moves up from the tip of the fang towards its base.
This unique geometry provides the fiber with a cut to position that will slide into place with respect to a snap surface of typical size. The extent of force needed for the fiber break is optimally low, and cutting efficiency can be made maximal. This video actually explains how their fangs are little incisors made to cut through anything effortlessly and cleanly!
By constructing artificial webs with carbon and Kevlar threads, the researchers also better studied how spiders cut through the lines. The outcomes were exceptional because they illustrated how the spiders seamlessly and completely reduce these high-strength manmade strands.
Conclusion
These first glimpses of critical three-dimensional morphology in spider fangs could have far-reaching implications for the cutting tools of tomorrow. With flows inspired by nature’s smart design, researchers can immediately create the next generation of powerful cutting tools that are sharper, harder, and applicable to a variety of materials from wood to metal to stones – including humans hair. The research opens up a future where the mysteries held within spider fangs set off an unprecedented era of discovery and development in technology, changing how humankind interacts with its environment.
