Spyder Web Design
Spyder is an integrated development environment (IDE) for scientific Python programming that combines advanced editing, analysis, debugging and profiling functionality with data exploration features.
In this video, we’ll take an in-depth look at Spyder’s four main panes and learn how to customize their interface. In addition, we will examine some other tools and features available within this IDE.
Frame and Mooring Threads
Spider silk is stronger and tougher than Kevlar per pound-for-pound. However, spiders must carefully organize web geometry to optimize structural performance; this involves placing radial threads like spokes on a wheel with additional spiral threads connecting them and crossing each other as they weave their webs.
This strategy has proven so successful that it could lead to improved mechanical design of structures in other fields, including aerodynamic wings or car suspensions. Researchers are already using spider webs as models for creating lighter, stronger materials with greater flexibility.
Scientists must examine what happens when prey animals strike the web to understand its performance; specifically they need to determine what impact loads the framework and radial threads can withstand before breaking under impact loads from an impact load test.
Researchers developed a methodology to demonstrate the effect of secondary frame length on spider web structural performance. To this end, they simulated an impact with a 20 mm rigid sphere travelling at 2 meters per second – representing typical predator velocity when approaching webs – then recorded energy absorbed until any scaffold thread (radials, frame or mooring) failed.
Researchers found that for a spider to achieve outstanding impact performance, optimal distribution of stiffness among its radial threads is key. To do this, it must systematically avoid connecting threads too close to anchors; in doing so, this allows it to avoid subsets of threads more likely to break upon prey capture.
Spiders must distribute load evenly around their frames so no single segment becomes overloaded, thus protecting their investment of silk while simultaneously assuring structural integrity and prey capture capabilities.
It is critical that spiders utilize every thread of silk available when building new webs, which is limited. If one or more threads break due to localized stresses, however, recasting would require using valuable resources once more; but with their superior engineering of both material and spatial layout capabilities they are able to repair web damage and continue hunting their prey.
Hub
Spyder is an integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python programming language, featuring editors to write code and consoles to evaluate results at any time, along with a Variable Explorer that lets users examine variables defined during evaluation, etc. Furthermore, Spyder includes an Integrated Development Environment for scientific computing that extends IPython’s capabilities with Jupyter notebooks and various facilities.
All this work is supported by an array of resources. For instance, the Scipy website serves as a central repository for information, documentation, help and bug reporting for many of the core packages used by Spyder (e.g. NumPy, Scipy, Matplotlib and SciPy) while it also provides learning/teaching materials.
Stack Overflow can also provide answers for Python-related programming questions, while there is also a dedicated Data Science category on this platform that may assist.
Auxiliary Spiral
A spider’s threads intersect at an auxiliary spiral located below the center of gravity in orb webs while waiting for prey, often off-center from its hub (asymmetry). Although basic web designs suggest hubs should be at geometric center of their webs, spiders have developed adaptations to reduce exposure while waiting for food. This may explain its position off-center from this hub (asymmetric).
Researchers conducting laboratory experiments involving spiders building slanted webs found that their sticky spiral asymmetry increased with increasing angles to horizontal. This finding suggests that spiders may use light as an aid when building their webs and sitting atop hubs to await prey.
To accurately evaluate the eccentricity of sticky spirals, researchers traced ovals on each web and excluded those whose diameter overlapped with an auxiliary spiral (bold lines in Figure 1). They then utilized only smaller diameter ovals as indicators of eccentricity for calculation of sticky spirals.
Sticky Spiral
The center spiral of a spider web serves as an insect catch trap designed to hold its prey until it can be devoured by its creator – this requires using up protein reserves so its construction must be sturdy enough to withstand insect movements.
To create the sticky spiral, a spider first creates a bridge line using air currents to transport thin silk thread extruded from its spinnerets across gaps and into leaves or twigs on the other side. Once complete, this bridge line can then be reinforced further using additional threads until becoming the basic basis from which radial threads can be built up from.
Redback spiders construct their webs in protected locations such as rocks, logs, grass tussocks, flower pots, garden furniture sheds and outside toilets. Their upper retreat network is closely woven thimble-like while sticky catching lines run down from the central hub to ground attachments known as gum feet – once this initial retreat network has been finished they begin creating closely spaced radials which form the hub’s base; after these have been set into place they create more tightly spaced spirals using bridge lines as guides; once these threads have been set their spiraling growth increases exponentially!
