NewsPronto

 
The Times


.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

Spiderweb silks and architectures reveal millions of years of evolutionary ingenuity

  • Written by Ella Kellner, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
imageAn orchard orb weaver spider rests in the center of her web.Daniela Duncan/Moment via Getty Images

Have you ever walked face-first into a spiderweb while on a hike? Or swept away cobwebs in your garage?

You may recognize the orb web as the classic Halloween decoration or cobwebs as close neighbors with your dust bunnies. These are just two among the...

Read more: Spiderweb silks and architectures reveal millions of years of evolutionary ingenuity

More Articles ...

  1. Grief feels unbearable, disorienting and chaotic – a grief researcher and widow shares evidence-based ways to face the early days of loss
  2. AI is making reading books feel obsolete – and students have a lot to lose
  3. Labor Day and May Day emerged from the movement for a shorter workday in industrial America
  4. The new NextGen Acela trains promise faster travel and more seats – but arrive as US rail faces an uncertain future
  5. 4 laws that could stymie the Trump EPA’s plan to rescind the endangerment finding that underpins US climate policies
  6. The dark history of forced starvation as a weapon of war against Indigenous peoples
  7. Getting beyond answers like ‘fine’ and ‘nothing’: 5 simple ways to spark real talk with kids
  8. 4 laws that could stymie the Trump EPA’s plan to rescind the endangerment finding, central to US climate policies
  9. San Francisco and other cities, following a Supreme Court ruling, are arresting more homeless people for living on the streets
  10. Women in STEM face challenges and underrepresentation – this course gives them tools to succeed
  11. My research team used 18 years of sea wave records to learn how destructive ‘rogue waves’ form – here’s what we found
  12. US has slashed global vaccine funding – if philanthropy fills the gap, there could be some trade-offs
  13. This isn’t how wars are ended − a veteran diplomat explains how Trump-Putin summit is amateurish and politically driven
  14. Moose have lived in Colorado for centuries – unpacking the evidence from history, archaeology and oral traditions
  15. Inside an urban heat island, one street can be much hotter than its neighbor – new tech makes it easier to target cooling projects
  16. What is rust? A materials scientist explains metal’s crusty enemy
  17. Inside the search for sustainable aviation fuels, which are on the federal chopping block
  18. For Syrian Druze, latest violence is one more chapter in a centuries-long struggle over autonomy
  19. Schools are looking for chaplains, but the understanding of who – and what – chaplains are varies widely
  20. Trump administration cuts to terrorism prevention departments could leave Americans exposed
  21. 3 reasons Republicans’ redistricting power grab might backfire
  22. Bureau of Labor Statistics tells the US what’s up with the economy – Trump firing its top official may undercut trust in its data
  23. Authoritarian rulers aren’t new – here’s what Herodotus, an early Greek historian, wrote about them
  24. Industrial pollution once ravaged the Adirondacks − decades of history captured in lake mud track their slow recovery
  25. AI is taking hold in K-12 schools – here are some ways it can improve teaching
  26. NASA plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon – a space lawyer explains why, and what the law has to say
  27. Elon Musk’s plans for a new political party will likely be derailed by a US political system hostile to new voices
  28. Hulk Hogan and the unraveling of worker solidarity
  29. Gaza isn’t the first time US officials have downplayed atrocities by American-backed regimes – genocide scholars found similar strategies used from East Timor to Guatemala to Yemen
  30. Vaccines hold tantalizing promise in the fight against dementia
  31. Teen drivers face unique challenges during ‘100 deadliest days’ of summer, but safety measures can make a difference
  32. As the Colorado River slowly dries up, states angle for influence over future water rights
  33. ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is attracting huge audiences worldwide – young Philadelphians told us K-pop culture inspires innocence, joy and belonging
  34. Understanding key terms swirling around Alligator Alcatraz and immigration enforcement in the US
  35. Transgender, nonbinary and disabled people more likely to view AI negatively, study shows
  36. A toxicologist’s guide to poison ivy’s itch and bee stings’ burning pain – 2 examples of nature’s chemical warfare
  37. Wildfire season is starting weeks earlier in California – a new study shows how climate change is driving the expansion
  38. Trump has promised to eliminate funding to schools that don’t nix DEI work – but half of the states are not complying
  39. How states are placing guardrails around AI in the absence of strong federal regulation
  40. History shows why FEMA is essential in disasters, and how losing independent agency status hurt its ability to function
  41. Iron nanoparticles can help treat contaminated water – our team of scientists created them out of expired supplements
  42. Youth athletes, not just professionals, may face mental health risks from repeated traumatic brain injuries
  43. Insurance warning signs in doctors’ offices might discourage patients from speaking openly about their health
  44. Where next for Khamenei? After war, Iran’s supreme leader is faced with difficult choices
  45. Philadelphia is using AI-driven cameras to keep bus lanes clear – transparency can help build trust in the system
  46. The Druze are a tightly knit community – and the violence in Syria is triggering fears in Lebanon
  47. EPA removal of vehicle emissions limits won’t stop the shift to electric vehicles, but will make it harder, slower and more expensive
  48. A red meat allergy from tick bites is spreading – and the lone star tick isn’t the only alpha-gal carrier to worry about
  49. Why leisure matters for a good life, according to Aristotle
  50. When it comes to finance, ‘normal’ data is actually pretty weird