STEAMBOAT E1: The Superb Spider’s Super Silk
Channel: HBCSE-TIFR
Date: 2021-11-14

Speaker : Suravi Kalita (HBCSE)
Encountering a cobweb on one’s face or hands during a stroll can be quite unpleasant. Still, who isn’t impressed by the agility and athletic skills of the superhero ‘Spiderman’. Who says entertainment and science are an unlikely couple? Let’s explore the story of the sci-fiction movie ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ and try to connect it with the research on understanding spider silk - an amazing fibre produced by an equally amazing creature. We’ll look at how spiders, who’ve been around for almost 380 million years, spin this wonder material, and look at some of its unique properties. And we’ll check if Spiderman’s artificial silk-producing gadget is a possible reality of science or mere fiction!

For more details about STEAMboat visit: https://steamboat.hbcse.tifr.res.in

Hindi Version of the talk can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrVXEvcCgxk&t=1s