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Genetically Engineered Silkworms Spin Spider Silk
disco_tracy writes "Silkworms have been modified to produce spider silk, creating a fabric that could be used in everything from bulletproof clothing to artificial tendons." For some reason, this is far less revolting to me than the idea of spider silk being milked out of goats.
"Compared to normal spider silk, it's not as strong," said Malcolm Fraser, a scientist from the University of Notre Dame. "But we are confident that, this being our first attempt, that we will be able to tweak the system to bring the system closer to the strength of true spider silk."
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FYI, the Monarch butterfly report showing harm was discredited due to the concentrations of pollen placed on the milkweed. It was way more than would normally by found in the wild.
And thank your for for the support.
That said, here are some links you might find informative;
Monsanto
more Monsanto
Yet more Monsanto (busy aren't they)
intersting site
Canola
GM canola in the wild
Possible wipe out of terrestrial plant life
another one
Have fun reading.
_
Danish studies have shown clear correlation between how well informed people are about GMO and how positive their attitude is towards it. The correlation is negative.
Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
Of course not. And a few fibers of kevlar won't either. Put together tightly makes a bit of difference, though.
fwiw, silk is actually harvested before the worms break out of their cocoons by boiling the whole thing to melt the worm inside and loosen up the silk. But the actual process of breaking out of the cocoon isn't a strength issue, it's a chemical process where they secrete an enzyme to break down the thread. If the thread is chemically similar, then it wouldn't be a problem.
If the enzyme does still work, they should manufacture that stuff in spray cans - it would make cleaning the corners of my room a hell of a lot easier.
I'm still trying to figure out why steel scuba tanks cost *more* than aluminum ones, though, looking at the spot prices for each of those metals.
Aluminum is easier to work with. Lower melting point, it's less demanding for machining, and a few other factors.
Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
Mmmmmmm... Daaaaanishhh....
Security is mostly a superstition... Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. - Helen Keller