Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Silk From Milk!

If you know that Spiderman is just a comic, a cartoon, a story, or a fantasy, then it is perhaps time to unlearn what you know and look up to the mad scientists.

Scientists have injected spider gene into mammals like cows and goats, to begin working during the stage of lactation, so that the milk protein can be used to produce silk. They call this silk BioSteel because it is very strong. As strong as the material used in a spider's web.

Read more about it here:

http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/GEessays/MammalCellSpiderSilk.html

Possible uses include lighter but stronger bullet-proof vests; biodegradable yet hardy sutures; and tougher aerospace components.

Unbelievable? Believe it!
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