Can an Old Dog Learn New Tricks?: And Other Questions about Animals
iS ThaT a faCT Can an Old Dog Learn New Tricks And Other Questions about Animals Buffy Silverman illustrations by colin w thompson a Lerner Publications Company Minneapolis
Introduction Perhaps you've heard these n sayings com about animals You can't teach an old dog new tricks If you touch a baby bird the mother will abandon it But are these sayings true Is there any science behind the stories Come along with us as we explore these old beliefs and more Find out whether the stories and sayings you've heard about animals are FACT OR FICTION
spider vest Is Spider Silk Really Stronger Than Steel Yes In fact it is several times stronger than steel of the same thickness It’s even stronger than Kevlar a material used to make bulletproof vests Scientists are trying to learn how to put proteins together in the same way that spiders do If they can make silk in a laboratory they may be able to figure out how to make all kinds of new materials Maybe people could make clothing that could never be ripped or wear out Car manufacturers might be able to create a car fender that could easily be bent back into shape if it were dented Many other new products could be possible as well What makes the silk so strong Spiders spin their silk out of proteins These chemicals are made of long chains The way the chains link together in a spider’s silk makes it extremely tough Spiders use their silk in many different ways They drop down from silk lines to escape danger Females spin sacs of silk to protect their eggs while baby spiders develop inside the eggs Some spiders hide in silk tunnels waiting for an insect or other tasty meal to arrive Others make trapdoors of silk and dart out of the trapdoor when an insect goes by Still other spiders depend on strong silk webs to catch their meals 5
