London: Inspired by the 'liquid wire' technique in spider webs, scientists have created novel composite fibres which extend like a solid and compress like a liquid.

Pulling on a sticky thread in a spider's web and letting it snap back shows that the thread never sags but always stays taut - even when stretched to many times its original length. This is because any loose thread is immediately spooled inside the tiny droplets of watery glue that coat and surround the core gossamer fibres of the web's capture spiral.