Investigating spiders: life on a thread - for iPod/iPhone
14 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 14 years ago -Whether you find spiders fearful or fascinating, they are to be admired for their web-spinning and prey-catching techniques, and the remarkable methods they use to move from one place to another. In this album, researchers in Denmark and the United States use an 8-legged robot and a virtual spider, high-speed photography, a hot air balloon and a rowing boat to explore the biophysics of spiders. In the audio track, Dr David Robinson of The Open University explains how advances in technology allow advances in scientific knowledge and understanding. This material forms part of The Open University course S204 Biology: uniformity and diversity.
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Episodes
Investigating spiders: life on a thread
March 26, 2010 05:23 - 1 minute - 1.01 MBA short introduction to this album.
Transcript -- Investigating spiders: life on a thread
March 26, 2010 05:23 - 18.4 KB application/pdfTranscript -- A short introduction to this album.
Investigating the biophysics of spiders
May 26, 2008 16:57 - 6 minutes - 6.07 MBDavid Robinson explains the difference between spiders and insects, and takes a close look at how technology allows us to learn more about thie behaviour.
Transcript -- Investigating the biophysics of spiders
May 26, 2008 16:57 - 32.5 KB application/pdfTranscript -- David Robinson explains the difference between spiders and insects, and takes a close look at how technology allows us to learn more about thie behaviour.
Ballooning spiders
May 16, 2008 00:01 - 4 minutes - 27.3 MB VideoBio-physicist Bob Suter goes spider hunting in a hot air balloon.
Transcript -- Ballooning spiders
May 16, 2008 00:01 - 53.7 KB application/pdfTranscript -- Bio-physicist Bob Suter goes spider hunting in a hot air balloon.
Theseus the virtual spider
May 15, 2008 23:59 - 2 minutes - 14.7 MB VideoComputer scientist Thiemo Krink explores the rules of web spinning.
Transcript -- Theseus the virtual spider
May 15, 2008 23:59 - 60.4 KB application/pdfTranscript -- Computer scientist Thiemo Krink explores the rules of web spinning.
Spiders' webs
April 24, 2008 20:55 - 3 minutes - 17.3 MB VideoBiologist Fritz Vollrath disentangles the science of spiders’ webs.
Transcript -- Spiders' webs
April 24, 2008 20:55 - 41.2 KB application/pdfTranscript -- Biologist Fritz Vollrath disentangles the science of spiders’ webs.
Boating spiders
April 24, 2008 20:53 - 6 minutes - 32.3 MB VideoBio-physicist Bob Suter shows how some spiders can move over a water surface.
Transcript -- Boating spiders
April 24, 2008 20:53 - 61.1 KB application/pdfTranscript -- Bio-physicist Bob Suter shows how some spiders can move over a water surface.
Galloping spiders
April 24, 2008 20:52 - 2 minutes - 12.2 MB VideoBio-physicist Bob Suter explains how some spiders gallop across the surface of water.
Transcript -- Galloping spiders
April 24, 2008 20:52 - 42.6 KB application/pdfTranscript -- Bio-physicist Bob Suter explains how some spiders gallop across the surface of water.