Cover image for Stronger than steel : spider silk DNA and the quest for better bulletproof vests, sutures, and parachute rope / Bridget Heos ; with photographs by Andy Comins.
TITLE:
Stronger than steel : spider silk DNA and the quest for better bulletproof vests, sutures, and parachute rope / Bridget Heos ; with photographs by Andy Comins.
Publication Date:
2013
Publication Information:
Boston, Mass. : Houghton Mifflin Books for Children,
Physical Description:
79 p. : col. ill.
Additional Contributors:
Summary:
Readers enter Randy Lewis' lab where they come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders and genetically engineered goats, whose milk contains the proteins to spin spider silk--and to weave a nearly indestructible fiber. Learn how this amazing material might someday be used to repair or replace human ligaments and bones, improve body armor, strenghten parachute rope, and even tether an airplane to an aircraft carrier! Readers explore rapid advancements in the application of genetic medicine and their potential to save and improve lives while considering the crucial ethical concerns of genetic research.
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780547681269