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Scientists Crack Silk's Secret
AEton writes "Researchers at Tufts University have reportedly discovered the mechanism by which spidersilk is produced. Besides the obvious use as a Kevlar substitute in bulletproof vests, silk has applications in microprocessor production, nanoscale optical fiber, a and any other application requiring strength and flexbility. Scientists have long grappled with the issue of creating silk; artificial silk is inferior to the real stuff, and the spiders can't be farmed (when you put them too close together, they eat each other). The method these Tufts researchers have found makes "strong silk" production feasible; if they can make it economical, the impact on safety equipment alone makes this material a worthwhile investment."
Not unless someone invents a "Star Trek"-like replicator. I assume your thought is that BMWs may someday become less costly, but nowhere near $20. Raw material costs exceed that 100 fold alone. In addition, what is your definition of artificial manufacturing for automobiles? In actuality, vehicles are manufactured partially by robots, which could be construed as "artificial".