posted October 17, 2009 12:07 AM         

"It took Homo sapiens thousands of years of thought to come up with the idea of ergonomics, but spiders have been at it for millions of years. When making its web, the spider will use its own body for measurement. In this way the web is the ultimate in practicality and ergonomic design. The spider is able to get around the web extremely quickly and efficiently and will not fall through the holes!

This giant communal spider web was photographed in Texas and measured over one hundred and eight meters in length. Entomologists think that it may be the results of socialization, with spiders deliberately building webs in unison that merge in to one giant net (for elephants possibly?). However, scientists have no real idea whether the spiders are working in a “Borg” like way or it is simply accidental.

Spider silk has a greater tensile strength than a chunk of steel weighing the same amount. As scientists look more towards nature for their inspiration, more potential applications in industry are developed - from parts of artificial prosthetics, to bullet proof vests. On the downside, some scientists are already genetically modifying other animals to produce the proteins that make the web."

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/environmentalgraffiti/43/bizarre-and-stunning-spider-webs.html
click 'prepare to be amazed'

*407 Asteroid Arachne is one I use frequently...often with the moirae 3 fates: Lachesis #120[apportioner] and sisters Atropos #273 and Clotho #97 [klotho]. Lachesis instructs the souls who are about to choose their next life, assign them lots, and presents them all of the kinds, human and animal, from which they may choose.

posted October 17, 2009 10:40 PM         

quote:

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no word for people who actually like spiders.

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