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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
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Cheryl Hayashi, a biologist at UC Riverside and a national expert on the genetic structure of spider silk, was awarded a $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship this past fall, one of only 24 MacArthur Fellows named for 2007 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Commonly known as a “genius award,” the MacArthur Fellowship is a grant to individuals who show exceptional creativity in their work and promise for important future advances. Scientists have long been fascinated with spider silks, and Hayashi has spent more than a decade studying the molecular and mechanical characteristics of these silks. Some spider silks are, ounce for ounce, up to 5 times stronger than steel. As a result, they are being considered for improving a wide variety of products, such as lightweight, super-strong body armor, components of medical devices and high-tech athletic attire. The next time you shudder when a spider scoots across the bathroom floor or grumble when you walk into a spider web, you might want to reconsider your negative reaction. The day may come when the spider’s natural attributes, combined with Hayashi’s intellectual prowess, could save a child from serious injury on the sports field or make a medical procedure a bit easier to endure. By Michael J. Medley |
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