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"THE SENSORY MODALITIES used for orb web-construction are limited. It appears that vision is not used and tension only marginally. Some form of orientation memory stack is likely and navigation by path integration not unlikely." https://lnkd.in/dfsDEVZ View in LinkedIn

BIG AND STRONG. "The spider webs made by Caerostris darwini, found in Madagascar, can extend up to tens of meters, are made to catch much larger prey and withstand frequent rain and typhoon winds and they are usually repaired for several days before replacement." https://lnkd.in/d5Wdths View in LinkedIn

"EVERY SPIDER WEB has a simple flat twist tessellation." A deep mathematical treatment of tessellation. https://lnkd.in/dehCygf View in LinkedIn

WIDE RANGE. "The results of the web optimization provide insight into understanding how natural spider webs can range over 2 orders of magnitude in size, yet achieve similar mechanical functions." https://lnkd.in/d5Wdths View in LinkedIn

ECONOMICAL. "Because the energetic cost to spiders to produce silk is high, their webs are typically composed of extremely thin threads of a few micrometers in diameter, which are strong enough to sustain their functions for significant periods of time." https://lnkd.in/d5Wdths View in LinkedIn

OPTIMIZED COSTS AND RESULTS. "To understand how particular web architectures arise, we must consider the competition between minimizing energy costs to the spider and maximizing mechanical function and longevity." https://lnkd.in/d5Wdths View in LinkedIn

WEB GEOMETRY and force vectors based on observations of spider webs. It takes advanced mathematics to even begin to solve the humble spider's ingenuity. https://lnkd.in/dYdY4x3 View in LinkedIn

WIDE VARIATION. "Interestingly, the overall size of different orb webs varies from centimetres to meters, while the ratio of spiral to radial thread diameter varies from ∼0.1 to 1. Concomitantly, the extensibility and elastic modulus of the spiral and radial threads can differ by 1 and 3 orders of magnitude, respectively." https://lnkd.in/d5Wdths View in LinkedIn

POINT FAILURE. "The failure of silk threads occurs at points where the filament is disturbed by that external force, but after failure, the web returns to stability--even in simulations using broad forces, like hurricane-force winds." I have personally observed this. https://lnkd.in/dND28gV View in LinkedIn

SACRIFICIAL FAILURE DESIGN. "When a force strikes the web, such as that from a trapped fly, the web deforms in distinct ways at multiple scales yet fails only where silk threads are under the most stress. The web manages that feat because of slipping that takes place within the spider-silk protein molecules. The result is compensation for some stress, yet sacrificial failure when stress becomes extreme, preserving the web as a whole." https://lnkd.in/dND28gV View in LinkedIn