'I was left with a hole in my chest after being bitten in London by Britain's most dangerous spider'
Adrian Martel needed surgery after suspected bite from false widow spider Source link
All posts tagged: spider
Newly discovered spider has smiley face on its back
Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđĄ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The happy-face spider (Theridion grallator) is famous for the particularly cheery looking patterns on top of its abdomen. Ecologists in Hawaii first described the tiny, vibrantly green arachnids in 1900, and have long assumed them to be unique to the islands. However, an unexpected encounter thousands of miles away recently surprised researchers combing through the forested slopes of the Himalayan mountains. According to their study published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics, there is at least one more smiley spider species in the world. Of course, such a discovery deserves an equally appropriate name. Without further ado, itâs time to meet the Himalayan happy-face spider (Theridion himalayana). Mature male (left) and female (right) of Theridion himalayana sp. nov. Credit: Devi Priyadarshini and Ashirwad Tripathy. The meetup began in 2023 during an expedition in the northern state of Uttarakhand, a region home to many animals that remain unknown to science. Researchers from Indiaâs Forest Research Institute and the Regional Museum of Natural History …
Spider and horseshoe crab relatives emerged 20 million years earlier than scientists thought
It looked, at first, like the sort of fossil Rudy Lerosey-Aubril knew well. After a long day of teaching, the Harvard University researcher sat down to clean a Cambrian arthropod specimen under a microscope, working with a fine needle the way paleontologists often do when stone still hides the details that matter most. The fossil came from Utahâs House Range and seemed ordinary enough for its age. Then he uncovered an appendage where no Cambrian arthropod was supposed to have one. âClaws are never in that location in a Cambrian arthropod,â Lerosey-Aubril said. âIt took me a few minutes to realize the obvious, I had just exposed the oldest chelicera ever found.â That one feature changes a great deal. Modern Day Spider next to Megachelicerax cousteaui. (CREDIT: Rudy Lerosey-Aubril) In Nature, Lerosey-Aubril and Javier Ortega-HernĂĄndez of Harvardâs Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology describe a new fossil species, Megachelicerax cousteaui, a sea predator from about 500 million years ago. The animal comes from the middle Cambrian Wheeler Formation in Utahâs West Desert and is now …
New spider named for Pink Floyd devours bugs 6x its size
Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđĄ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. We can call this newly discovered spider another brickâor webâin the wall. Scientists in Colombia named the new species Pikelinia floydmuraria in honor of English rock band Pink Floyd and the arachnidâs preferred habitatâwalls. âMuraria,â is derived from the Latin word for âwall,â and alludes to the psychedelic bandâs 1979 multi-platinum album, The Wall. The team found Pikelinia floydmuraria living on the walls of buildings and even spotted one on a colorful mural in QuindĂo, Colombia. This new species of crevice weaver spiders is described in a study published in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution (ZSE). A male Pikelinia floydmuraria. Image: Leonardo Delgado-Santa. Pikelinia floydmuraria is considered a synanthropic spider. These species have adapted to human-created environments over time. While they serve an important role in the ecosystem in Colombia, researchers knew little about their biology and nutritional ecology until now. The team found that these spiders are skilled hunters, mostly feeding on insects such as flies, beetles, and …
Kiss of the Spider Woman review: Jennifer Lopez shines in uneven musical
A star rating of 3 out of 5. Anchored in the relationship that develops between two cellmates imprisoned under the Argentine military dictatorship, this incarnation of Kiss of The Spider Woman is based on the 1993 John Kander and Fred Ebb musical version of Manuel Puigâs novel and the 1985 William Hurt Oscar-winner. It transports the action to 1983, towards the end of the Dirty War, mixing golden age Hollywood musical numbers with the stark reality of prison life, and while director Bill Condon is adept when it comes to staging all-singing, all-dancing escapism, he proves less successful at nailing the grimmer tone behind bars. The film sees revolutionary ValentĂn Arregui (Diego Luna) incarcerated for his political activism, while his recently arrived gay cellmate Luis Molina (Tonatiuh) has been jailed for public indecency. The two are forced to share a cell by the prison governor (Bruno Bichir), who is pressuring Molina to extract information from Arregui that theyâve been unable to get any other way. Want to see this content? This page contains content provided …
Rock singer Taylor Momsen bitten by venomous spider moments before taking stage
Rock singer Taylor Momsen bitten by venomous spider moments before taking stage Source link
How Ryan Goslings Project Hail Mary made a rock spider lovable
On paper, the character of Rocky in Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary sounds like a nightmare: a dog-sized, five-legged rock spider with no face. Yet, in the 2026 film adaptation, he has become one of the most beloved characters in modern sci-fi. In this installment of How It Hits, writer Belen Edwards explores how the filmmakers used a combination of facial psychology, shared scientific culture, and old-school practical puppetry to create a genuine, “movie magic” connection between Ryan Gosling and his extraterrestrial co-star. Project Hail Mary is now in theaters. Source link
500-million-year-old spider relative has claws where it shouldn’t
Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđĄ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The fossil was completely unremarkable. Thatâs what Harvard University paleontologist Rudy Lerosey-Aubril initially thought while examining an arthropod fossil dating back to the Cambrian period (538.8 million to 485.4 million years ago). âAs I prepared it, however, it unexpectedly revealed exquisitely preserved limbsâincluding a pair of frontal claws projecting from the head,â Lerosey-Aubril tells Popular Science. Early arthropod specimens donât have claws like these. Instead, Cambrian arthropods usually have an antenna in that position. In other words, the claws Lerosey-Aubril was seeing were not supposed to be there. This unassuming fossil belongs to Megachelicerax cousteaui, a 500-million-year-old sea predator. The fossil was first dug up over 40 years ago in a desert in western Utah and is the oldest known chelicerateâthe arthropod group that includes modern spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. This single strange specimen pushes the evolutionary history of chelicerates back by 20 million years and helps explain the evolution of claws. The findings are detailed …
2026 Ferrari Amalfi Spider: V12 Specs, Performance, and Price
Ferrari has officially unveiled the Amalfi Spider, a 2+ convertible sports car designed to balance high-performance engineering with everyday practicality. At its core is a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, delivering 640 horsepower and 760 Nm of torque, allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds. Complementing this powertrain is an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, making sure precise and responsive gear shifts. The Amalfi Spider also incorporates advanced aerodynamics, such as a dynamic three-position rear wing, to enhance stability and agility during spirited driving. These features collectively position the Amalfi Spider as a standout in the convertible sports car segment. This launch overview will explore several key aspects of the Amalfi Spider, including its driver-focused interior design, which features three digital displays and a wind deflector for open-top comfort. Youâll also learn about its lightweight Z-fold soft-top mechanism, capable of operating at speeds of up to 60 km/h and how it contributes to both practicality and performance. Additionally, the guide will highlight the carâs Side Slip Control (SSC) 6.1 system and five …
Baby spider monkeys rescued in Texas
Get the Popular Science daily newsletterđĄ Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. It should go without saying, but please donât smuggle spider monkeys. While responding to a human trafficking case earlier this year, United States Border Patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, found two of these tiny primates. The driver failed to yield and fled the scene, leading officers to respond. Wildlife poaching is not only illegal, but can be incredibly harmful to the animals. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the male and female spider monkeys were inside of a pet carrier and were roughly two to three months old. Wildlife inspectors brought the monkeys about two and a half hours north to San Antonio, Texas, where they were transferred to a rehabilitation facility. USFWS is working with law enforcement to identify the driver who was involved in human and wildlife smuggling. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, there are seven recognized species of spider monkeys in the Ateles genus. They are known for very long arms and hook-like …