Stronger Than Steel: Spider Silk DNA and the Quest for Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, and Parachute Rope (Scientists in the Field Series) - Hardcover

Heos, Bridget

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0547681267 ISBN 13: 9780547681269

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2013

Synopsis

In Stronger Than Steel, readers enter Randy Lewis' lab where they come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders, and transgenic alfalfa, silkworm silk, and goats, whose milk contains the proteins to spin spider silk--and to weave a nearly indestructible fiber. Learn how this amazing material might someday be used to repair or replace human ligaments and bones, improve body armor, strengthen parachute rope, and even tether an airplane to an aircraft carrier! Readers explore rapid advancements in the application of genetic medicine and their potential to save and improve lives while considering the crucial ethical concerns of genetic research. A timely addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series.

About this title

About the Author

Bridget Heos is the author of more than 100 books for kids, including the popular Mustache Baby books and the nonfiction Just Like Us! series. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband and four children.
authorbridgetheos.com
Twitter @bridgetheos

Reviews

Welcome to the lab of Dr. Randy Lewis, where goat embryos are injected with genes from golden orb weaver spiders. When the goats grow up, some of the females will produce spider silk proteins in their milk. The project aims to produce filaments with the varying degrees of strength and flexibility characteristic of spider silk. Practical applications range from space suits to artificial ligaments to lightweight bulletproof vests. A chapter on the “Ethical Concerns and Lifesaving Possibilities” of transgenic organisms lays out ethical objections to the research and counters each one with a response representing Dr. Lewis’ point of view. The overall quality of the photos is quite good, and some pictures are exceptionally fine. At times the text seems aimed at very young children, as it includes details and anecdotes that are unlikely to interest older readers. However, the explanations of Lewis’ research will be confusing to students without previous knowledge of genetics. While there’s worthwhile information here, the presentation limits the audience for this attractive volume from the Scientists in the Field series. Grades 7-10. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0547681267
• ISBN 13: 9780547681269
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Comins Andy
• Number of pages: 80