Violin Strings of Cobwebs

Search stringed instrument that is able to produce perfect sound after the researchers took a significant step spider spinning a string. The resulting sound creates a new kind of music. 

Years to pursue the world of physics of materials, Shigeyoshi Osaki of Nara Medical University, Japan, attracted by the nature of spider silk nets. These animals make nets of various types of yarn removed from his stomach. The strongest type of yarn that comes from being on the edge of the net, commonly known as a dragline. 

Nephila maculata.

(Picture from: http://two-ton.blogspot.com/)

Strength of dragline thread is amazing. Since 15 years ago, researchers learned that the thread is stronger than Kevlar fibers are widely used as anti-bullet vest. Kevlar fiber itself several times stronger than steel.

Osaki exploring spider thread to be mounted on the violin. According to him, the development of stringed instrument is too focused on the frame and body, but forget the other important parts, namely strings. 

More modern violinist wearing steel or nylon strings. Some of the previous century, sheep gut violin strings attached. "The truth has become a string of scientific research for a long time," he told the BBC. 

In the laboratory, researchers are breeding silk spider, species Nephila maculata. This spider is known to love knitting nets are very complex, including generating strong dragline thread. 

The manufacturing process begins with a dragline spinning yarn from 3.000 to 5.000 of the 300 female spider. Three-spun yarn twisted into different directions at each end, so as to produce a piece of string. 

Testing of tensile strength showed that the strength of the strings is just less than traditional strings made from sheep intestine. But the string of spider thread is stronger than modern strings made of steel or nylon. For violin, strings of power is an important consideration so that the strings do not break in the middle of the show. 

Strings made of spider thread has a perfectly circular cross section with the content of the meeting. There was no empty space. In addition to hard breaking, strings made of spider thread produces a unique tone. "Some professional violinist reported this string produces soft tones and deep, capable of producing new music," Osaki said in the journal Physical Review Letters. *** [NEWSCIENTIST | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 3814]

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