Welcome to the world-wide SPIDER web! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Spiders – love ‘em or hate ’em, we can all appreciate their intricate web designs. Ever notice that webs have similar patterns? It’s as if they were created by the SAME master architect!
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Oh what a tangled web we weave…in space?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Many spider webs found in nature are asymmetrical: their top part is smaller than the bottom. Could GRAVITY play a role in this off-center web weaving? Samuel Zschokke from the University
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Stop and smell the…SPIDERS?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Sunny spring days mean it’s mating season in the Arctic! BUT these warm days are arriving earlier each year. What does this mean for creepy-crawling wolf spider moms-to-be? Ask Toke Høye and colleagues from
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Ever seen a spider get stuck in its OWN web?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying – nope – it doesn’t happen! But WHY? Just ask the sticky web master, Cribellate spiders! Their web silk is covered with tiny nanofibers that make it EXTRA
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It’s Stormy Monday….for spiders! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Approaching storms make people rush to the grocery store for the last of the milk. Could storms also affect the behavior of…spiders? Enter Jonathan Pruitt from UC Santa Barbara and
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Sometimes you gotta risk it for the biscuit! This is Sandra Tsing-Loh, with the Loh Down on Science. Decisions, decisions! Paper or plastic? Bagel or breakfast burrito? Every day, we make these life-or-death decisions. Is this a human-only trait? George Uetz from the University of Cincinnati says, No – spiders
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Ladies love a guy dressed in black…especially lady SPIDERS! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying that’s right! Male peacock spiders use a slick dance and super black spots to woo the ladies. These areas aren’t just dark, they’re SUPER dark! Meaning, they absorb more
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What do you get when you cross a mushroom with a spider? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Mosquitoes are not just annoying — some are deadly! Anopheline mosquitoes in Africa transmit life-threatening diseases like malaria with one bite. What’s worse, they’re becoming resistant to
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As if spiders weren’t scary enough…they’re listening to us, too?! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Jumping spiders are vicious predators known for their keen eyesight. Not so much for their hearing, because they lack eardrums. But now researchers from Harvard and Cornell have spun
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My spidey senses are… silky? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. By weight, spider silk is stronger than steel! However, perfectly reproducing this versatile material has proven difficult. How do spiders successfully spin silk? Lucas Parent at Northwestern University and David Onofrei at San Diego
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