Biology
Spider Silk Strength Compared to Steel
Quick fact
Pound for pound, spider silk can be up to five times stronger than steel—its strength-to-weight ratio is superior—but steel still exceeds spider silk in absolute tensile strength.
Why this is interesting
You've probably heard that spider silk is stronger than steel. But is that actually true—and if so, how can a strand of spider web hold up to a material used in buildings?