When they weave their webs, spiders pull their silk threads. New simulations show stretching during spinning causes the protein chains within the fibers to align and the number of hydrogen bonds between those chains to increase. Both factors increase the silk fibers’ overall strength and toughness. Insights could be applied to designing stronger, tougher synthetic materials.

Matt McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF CAREER Award is one of the foundation’s most prestigious honors, recognizing early career faculty with the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. The $1.26 million grant will support McCary’s research on the spread of invasive plants — aggressive non-native species that disrupt native ecosystems, threaten biodiversity and contribute to billions in economic damages each year.

A team of Tufts University researchers created Morpho, an open-source programmable environment that enables researchers and engineers to conduct shape optimization and design for soft materials. Applications can be for anything from artificial hearts to robot materials that mimic flesh and soft tissue.