How strong is spider silk?

Insects get caught in spider webs.

Big and small, spider webs are everywhere. Spiders weave webs to catch flies and other insects. The webs are made of silk. Spiders make their own silk.

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Steel cables are used to support bridges.
Steel cables are used to support bridges.

Some types of spider silk are very strong. They are five times stronger than steel. Why is the silk so strong? A spider weaves its web. It stretches each piece of silk. This helps make the silk stronger. Scientists want to find ways to use spider silk. Could it be used to make rope or clothes?

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A golden orb weaving spider makes very strong silk. 

There is one problem. It is hard to get a lot of spider silk quickly. So, scientists are learning more about how spider silk is made. One day, spider silk may be used to make clothes and shoes.

What Can You Do? Would you wear a shirt made of spider silk?

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