Researchers at Tufts University’s Silklab have developed sticky fibers inspired by spider silk that may be the closest real-life example of Spider-Man’s web shooters we’ve ever seen. These fibers are made from silk moth cocoon proteins called fibroin, which are extruded through narrow needles. When shot into the air, they solidify, allowing the researchers to pull on objects.
The team says it accidentally discovered the method to create this new web-like material using silk fibroin, dopamine, and organic solvents. This breakthrough allowed them to produce fibers with high tensile strength and stickiness that rapidly solidified.
By adding chitosan and borate buffer, the researchers were also able to enhance the fibers’ strength and adhesiveness. This allowed the real-life Spider-Man web to pick up objects over 80 times its own weight from a distance of about 12 centimeters.
While natural spider silk is still much stronger, this innovation opens up possibilities for various technological applications. The researchers view their work as not just bio-inspired but “superhero-inspired.”
In fact, they say that further research into the real-life Spider-Man web shooters could allow them to actually develop a system similar to what Spider-Man uses in some of the earlier cartoons. Additionally, they found that they could even change the diameter of the fibers depending on which bore of needle they used.
It’s a crazy development that showcases just how realistic some of the “technical advances” we see in comics and superhero movies can actually be. By pushing this boundary exceptionally, the researchers could have opened new doors of innovation and research that further bridge the gap between practical science and imagination.
Of course, finding ways to use these real-life Spider-Man web shooters is probably going to be tricky. After all, we don’t need people running around pretending to be Spider-Man. But, perhaps researchers could come up with other ways to put this man-made web to use.
