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.

Spider-Worm Spider-Worm...

[Anonymous Coward]

Does whatever a spider, um...

Spider Worms?

[nofx_3]

"They're takin our jerbs!"

-The Spider Goats

Just one client, but...

[gmuslera]

Using that silk should produce extra-sharp scytes...maybe you could even skip a lot of the required steps and sharpen them next directly with moonlight.

Re:anyone got an Athlon II X4, please test it!

[some_guy_88]

I agree, genetically engineered silkworms *are* cool.

Relief

[dark grep]

Well that's a relief. I much prefer the idea of a Really Big Silk Worm than a Really Big Spider to spin the cable for the space elevator. I for one welcome our new silk moth overlords.

Re:Spider Worms?

[ooshna]

took er jerbs!

Just wait until...

[poly_pusher]

somebody tries to tape these things to their wrists and jump out of a window in a leotard...

Re:Spider Worms?

[stms]

derber derrr!!!

Re:Cool

[Rogerborg]

Look at the Nazi scientists at Monsanto.

To be fair, Monsanto has changed recently: wearing SS uniforms in the lab is no longer strictly mandatory.

Re:Almost there

[ultranova]

Double the points if the silk worms will start catching flies instead of eating 104 kg of mulberry leaves for each kilo of silk.

Triple the points if the worms escape, block the doors to the laboratory with unbreakable spider silk sheet, then eat the scientists.

Quadruple them if they somehow mutate into an army of Shelobs and terrorize the general population.

Re:Cool

[PopeRatzo]

The Mithril vest could become a reality again!

This reminds me...can anyone explain how spider silk can be made into bullet-proof vests?

When someone starts shooting at my house, I don't immediately think "Let me go find a spider-web to hide behind". At my house. When the shooting starts.