We are not suggesting it is possible for you to become a superhero if you are bitten by a spider like Peter Parker was. All we are saying is that if you really want to give it a shot anyway, we think being chomped on by this amazing little spider, who can shoot its web an amazing 25 meters, is the way to go.
In this video from BBC Earth’s “The Hunt,” a Darwin’s Bark Spider (fittingly described as a “real-life Spider Woman”) builds a beautiful — but deadly — two-meter orb web over a massive river. The spider can can produce this tremendous amount of silk consistently and constantly, despite no bigger than a thumbnail.
It’s hard to believe that something so small can build something like this across such a large area. Even more remarkable is how strong this spider’s silk is, since it’s not merely tougher than steel (by cross sectional area), it is the toughest natural fiber in the world.
That’s why when we watch it it’s hard not to think about Peter Parker pulling falling buildings back together. Although in fairness to Spider-Man, we don’t remember him conserving his used webs by eating them. Maybe something to add in an after-credits scene?
Scientists don’t fully understand how this spider is capable of producing the prodigious amount of silk that it does, so that makes it really hard to imagine that a regular person like you or I will be able to harness its powers just from a bite…Just let us know if it actually does work.
What other real life animals remind you of fictional comic book superheroes? We hope to snag your thoughts in the web of our comments section below.
Images: BBC Earth
