When it comes to scary-looking spiders, you don't have to be an arachnophobe to find steering clear of the golden silk orb weaver (Trichonephila clavipes) to be a good idea. Sometimes called ...

Not only does spider silk combine the useful properties of high tensile strength and extensibility, it can be beautiful in its own right. 'Silk is an amazing material,' says Jan Beccaloni, our ...