Posted on 12/12/2020 9:58:26 AM PST by BenLurkin
Scientists have been sending spiders into space to see how the spider’s web-making ability changes in the microgravity aboard the ISS. As simple as it sounds on the surface to put a spider in space and see how microgravity affects web making, it was challenging to achieve.
On Earth, spiderwebs are asymmetrical, and the center is displaced towards the upper edge. When resting, spiders sit head down because it allows them to move towards freshly caught prey in the direction of gravity. The question was, what would spiders do in the absence of gravity.
What was discovered about how spiders orient themselves in zero gravity was a surprise. Scientists say they wouldn’t have guessed light would’ve played a role in orienting the spiders in space. The lamps inside the cases were attached to the top of the chamber and not on various sides, a coincidence that allowed scientists to discover that light impacts the symmetry of webs in zero gravity.
(Excerpt) Read more at slashgear.com ...
Good!
On earth the light comes from above. Are they oriented by light here as well? We’ve assumed gravity was the orientation factor.
I think it says that when the lights are turned off the spiders at unable to spin.
It’s great! I can tell you like limericks...
When I was dating a girl back in college, I would write her an occasional poem or limerick as men sometimes do when they are young and pursuing a gal, and she gave me a matched book set of limericks...
As a vehicle, I have found limericks to be somehow more appropriate for the conveyance of pithy or ribald humor (whenever I am actually capable of it) and I have enjoyed reading yours...:)
They are great fun! There are a few old ones on my FR home page you might enjoy.
Even more fun when a pun is included:
There was a young man named Clyde
Who fell in a sh!t hole and died
His poor grieving brother
Fell into another
And now they’re interred side by side.
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