A spider no larger than a coin has upended what scientists thought they knew about natural materials. Discovered in the wilds ...

The Darwin’s bark spider silk has a tensile strength of around 1.6 gigapascals, several times stronger than structural iron, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Quick, think of every place you’ve seen a spider. A forest ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

Spider webs are nature’s perfect traps: sticky and delicate, yet strong enough to catch insects many times larger than the ...

In a narrow passage deep inside an underground cavern between Albania and Greece, scientists pushed through waist-deep black water and clung to ropes to make a startling discovery. In the beams of ...

Spider web “decorations” may help arachnids to pinpoint the location of their captured prey, suggests a study. The “extra touches” to intricate webs - known as stabilimenta - enable the eight-legged ...