Spider silk spun into violin strings

[vasanthakokilam]

Spider silk spun into violin strings

A Japanese researcher has used thousands of strands of spider silk to spin a set of violin strings.
The strings are said to have a "soft and profound timbre" relative to traditional gut or steel strings.

That may arise from the way the strings are twisted, resulting in a "packing structure" that leaves practically no space between any of the strands.
The strings will be described in a forthcoming edition of the journal Physical Review Letters.

Rest of the article including some sample music made using these strings..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17232058

[srikant1987]

Finally, something useful to do with those cobwebs.

[vasanthakokilam]

Now, resist your temptation to run your violin bow over those cobwebs

[VK RAMAN]

I know it can be sharp. Pattu Veshti if not properly worn and if one trips because of veshti it can create a bleeding scratch to the skin. So use of cobweb seems to be a good replacement for metallic string; but how does cobweb create metallic sound? Interesting!!

[cmlover]

For its length and thickness Spider web is stronger than the toughest steel! Remember the feats of Spider Man!

[Nick H]

Finally, something useful to do with those cobwebs.

There has always been something useful to do with them, for spiders ... and the reduction in numbers of certain unwanted insects is useful to us too

The sound sample sounded nice, but I guess this is destined to be just a historical oddity, and a winner of large sums of money in schoolboy bets.

"Did You know that violin strings can be made of spider web?"

"Nah... Couldn't be possible."

"Yeh? 'Tis!"

"'Tisn't!"

"How much you wanna bet it isn't?"

Ahh, how foolish the youngster who bets without consulting Google!