Researcher Spins Spider Silk into Violin Strings

Researcher Spins Spider Silk into Violin Strings

the-scientist.com

...In a surprising new application, a Japanese researcher uses thousands of strands of spider silk to weave strings for a violin.

Shigeyoshi Osaki of Nara Medical University in Japan obtained “dragline” silk, the silk from which spiders hang, from 300 female Nephila maculata spiders. He then bundled together 3,000 to 5,000 individual strands of the silk, and twisted three of the bundles together, to create strings.

...The strings make “a soft and profound timbre,” ...

(visit the link for the full news article)



Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Human skin embedded with spider silk can stop a bullet
Super powers found in spider silk
SCI/TECH: Self-Assembled Spider Silk spun in Insect Cells
Mutant Worms Produce Piles of Spider Silk

Spider silk is amazing stuff - but practically impossible to harvest or synthesize, which makes this effort quite special. Music buffs will be interested in that “soft and profound timbre” - while the nerds and geeks probably will be delighted that something/anything new was done with the material.

ATS members have covered spider silk well, and the four threads listed above barely scratch the surface - plenty more to be found using the Search button. Also, Wikipedia has a comprehensive entry on spider silk, including a description of researchers using e. coli to "manufacture" it.

A frequent mistake made in the mainstream media is to confuse strength and toughness when comparing silk to other materials. As shown below in detail, weight for weight, silk is stronger than steel, but not as strong as Kevlar. Silk is, however, tougher than both.

Original Paper: Spider silk violin strings with a unique packing structure generate a soft and profound timbre




the-scientist.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by soficrow


Incredible. I wonder what a set of strings goes for

I would love to try them out!

reply to post by soficrow


Amazing. Simply astounding.
I just wish I could find a link to video, or sound file of how the violin sounds.
I'd love to hear it.

reply to post by soficrow


I wonder if they've made any cello sets yet. I'm sure that would cost far more than my cello. Very interesting use of spider silk, I too wish I could hear the tone.

Awesome achievement, awesome thread.

just getting back to the stronger vs tougher part?

Do mean strong as in the ability to carry weight, like when it is used as a rope? And tough as in the ability to absorb an impact from a certain force, like when weaved to form a clothing material or infused with human skin?

Or is it the other way round?


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Will this stop the endless need to buy new strings?

I wonder how a guitar will sound with them on.

Awesome thread! Get it? Thread!! Hehehe

No?
Ok, i'll get my coat.

reply to post by soficrow


From Get Smart.

"We had to individually milk the spiders...."

"And they do not like it."

reply to post by TDawgRex


Awesome! Get Smart! That was one of my favorites. I can't remember that specific episode off the top of my head though.

reply to post by nineix

reply to post by wtbengineer


You're in luck! Iamschist u2u'd me a link to a bbc story with a recording - he couldn't embed it, and I can't either.

Recording here, about half-way down the page.

reply to post by wtbengineer


It was in the latest movie remake.

I think they did Mel proud. I would have liked to have seen a sequel come out.

reply to post by soficrow
Spider silk stretches a lot. I wonder if the strings have to be re-tightened a lot to stay in tune?


Wiki- spider silk

Silks are also especially ductile, with some able to stretch up to four times their relaxed length without breaking.

reply to post by Monkeygod333


Back to Wiki:

Most silks, in particular dragline silk, have exceptional mechanical properties. They exhibit a unique combination of high tensile strength and extensibility (ductility). This enables a silk fiber to absorb a lot of energy before breaking (toughness, the area under a stress-strain curve).

reply to post by HandyDandy


According to the BBC, spider silk violin strings break before gut strings will - no idea about the guitar sound but I suspect it would be awesome.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Thanks TDawg, so it was worth watching after all. I almost went to see it but I thought it would be nothing like the show and therefore a letdown. Maybe I'll have to make a point to find it.

reply to post by soficrow


Thanks soficrow! What sublime tone!

a buddy of mine actually asked me if my guitar strings were made of spider web ( the box has a spider on it)i would love to try a set of real spider web strings out if they make them for guitars...good post

Wow, that is awesome! I can just see a new line of strings, but I'll bet they would be super expensive. I wonder, if they can be used for the bow too?

those strings resonate very nicely. they definitely sound better at higher frequencies than at the lower ones, but a bit of tinkering could fix that i think.

it always amuses me that will all our "technology", nature always outdoes us.