Mon 1/10 @ 7PM
Delve deeper into the wonders of the world @ Science Cafe Cleveland, a cool monthly discussion of fascinating science topics. Grab a drink & learn a thing or two. This month’s topic: “Spider silk: An evolutionary experiment in a biological supermaterial” w/ Dr. Todd Blackledge (Dept. of Biology, Univ of Akron) and co-experts Sam Evans (MS Candidate, University of Akron) and Sara Suva (Biology Undergraduate, University of Akron).
About:
Have you ever wondered how a spider spins its silk thread? If you have ever walked into a spider’s web and felt its tug against your skin you know firsthand that its silk can be strong. Despite the number of cobwebs you experience in your attic or basement, not all spiders spin webs.
However, all of the world’s 41,000 species of spiders (Phylum Arthropoda, Class Arachnida, Order Araneae) are equipped with toolkits of silk that they use throughout their lives to live, grow and reproduce. Silk proteins are constructed from the same chemical building blocks as our hair yet these toolkits include silks that are tougher than Kevlar, as stretchy as rubber, and even some that function as glues. Join us to ask your questions and learn about the extraordinary world of spiders and their silk.
[Photo by Kim Yanoshik]
The Tasting Room at Great Lakes Brewing Company – 2701 Carroll Avenue – Cle
http://Case.edu/affil/sigmaxi/January2011Event.html
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