The researchers set out to look at the fine detail of spider webs and the way that the silks interact with moisture in the atmosphere. They found that the water-collecting ability of Uloborus walckenaerius – a common, non-venomous spider – is the result of a network of knots that form in the web when it gets wet.

The team replicated the spider fibres using polymethyl methacrylate, a synthetic polymer that was chosen because it bonds well with water molecules. The major technical challenge was to fine-tune these fibres to function in realistic industrial conditions whereby temperatures and humidity levels are often changing. They succeeded in creating individual fibres that could trap and transport water droplets in the same way as the spider silk. One application could be 'smart catalysis', which can speed up a chemical reaction without needing a catalyst.