The U.S. military might be outfitting virtual spider men, as researchers believe spider silk can help make combat gear lighter and cooler, according to Business Insider.
"Tougher than Kevlar and more flexible than nylon," the silk spiders produce can be useful in creating new materials to "take the load and heat off troops in the field," according to Air Force researchers, per the report.
The silk, through "passive radiative cooling," can radiate more heat than it absorbs, dropping 10-15 degrees, according to an Air Force news release.
"Understanding natural silk will enable us to engineer multifunctional fibers with exponential possibilities. The ultra-strong fibers outperform the mechanical characteristics of many synthetic materials as well as steel," researcher Dr. Augustine Urbas wrote in the release. "These materials could be the future in comfort and strength in body armor and parachute material for the warfighter."
Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment's chief scientist Dr. James Zheng told Army Times there are many ways technology can take advantage of what nature provides.
"Mother Nature has created and optimized many extraordinary materials," Zheng said.
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