Researchers at MIT--with help and support from a number of different academic forces--are in the process of using 3D printing to study the age-old, enigmatic strength of the spider web. Through making 3D models of the arachnid’s architectural structures, the research team is able to study and analyze different aspects of the web, in hopes of producing a synthetic material that will be similar in strength that can be optimized and used for many different functions. Read more about the research in the full article: http://3dprint.com/65646/mit-3d-printing-spider-webs/

Below is a photo from the research efforts: