Oxford University researchers have taken a step towards the large-scale production of silks with tailor-made properties.
Prof Fritz Vollrath and colleagues from the Oxford Silk Group collected silk from paralysed silkworms by injecting a chemical naturally produced by the animal.
In comparison to unparalysed silk works, longer and more consistent silks can be collected. By tricking the silkworm into performing its natural response to injury, the scientists have shown it is possible to reel hundreds of metres of silk under full control.
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