Latest Silk Stories
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- More than seven in ten (71 percent) surveyed[1] by Silk(®) say that eating healthier is one of the most difficult New Year's resolutions to keep, so Silk is announcing a challenge that requires almost no effort. The Silk Least Challenging Challenge [in the world(TM)] simply asks consumers to replace regular milk with Silk when eating cereal. That's it. Potential benefits include fewer calories, higher calcium intake and...
US researchers say they have created genetically modified (GM) silkworms that spin silk far stronger and more elastic than the normal silk produced by the critter. Scientists from University of Wyoming, who published their research in the PNAS journal, say their ultimate goal is to produce silk from worms that has the toughness of spider silk. Spider silk, weight-for-weight, is stronger than steel. The team say the silkworm silk has a whole range of biomedical applications, including uses...
Bioengineers at Tufts University School of Engineering have developed a new silk-based microneedle system able to deliver precise amounts of drugs over time and without need for refrigeration. The tiny needles can be fabricated under normal temperature and pressure and from water, so they can be loaded with sensitive biochemical compounds and maintain their activity prior to use. They are also biodegradable and biocompatible. The research paper "Fabrication of Silk Microneedles for...
313 Mile March for GMO Labeling Ended on World Food Day Support of FDA Petition JustLabelIt.org Exceeds 300,000 WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On October 16, World Food Day, hundreds of people rallied for 5 hours in front of the White House demanding the Obama Administration keep a 2007 campaign promise to enact labeling of genetically engineered foods, also termed "Genetically Modified Organisms" or "GMOs." The Right2Know March, a new...
Using the most advanced methods in digital fabric printing Los Angeles based fine art photographer Bryony Shearmur brings some of her favorite images to life as a collection of silk scarves and pocket squares for men and women. The debut collection "Really Beautiful Things" is a fitting tribute to her adopted city. Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 28, 2011 London born artist Bryony Shearmur has been creating beautiful, fine art images of Los Angeles and beyond for over a decade....
Scientists are reporting development of the first fast and reliable scientific method to determine the age and authenticity of priceless silk tapestries and other treasures -- such as Civil War General Phillip Sheridan's famous red-and-white battle flag -- in museums and other collections around the world. A report on their work appears in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry. Mehdi Moini and colleagues at the Smithsonian Institution point out that for thousands of years, silk fibers,...
GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on cellulosic man-made fibers. Global consumption of cellulosic man-made fibers is forecast to reach over 5.16 million tons by the year 2017. Increasing demand for alternate fibers and development of new fiber technology and products is expected to drive market growth. Although marginally sidelined by superior synthetic substitutes such as polyester and nylon, cellulosic fibers are poised to regain momentum, primarily backed by...
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Calcium is labeled as a "nutrient of concern" by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines since consumers do not get enough of this essential nutrient. Knowing that the general consumer is not meeting their calcium needs, Silk® has just announced that it has increased the calcium level in its natural refrigerated soymilk products to 50 percent more than typical dairy milk(1), which is consistent with its Pure Almond and Pure Coconut products. Silk...
Strand for strand no fabric can compare to the luxurious feel, luminosity and sheen of pure silk. Since millennia, the Chinese have been unraveling the cocoons of the silk worm (Bombyx mori) and weaving the fibers into sumptuous garments, hangings, carpets, tapestries and even artworks of painted silk. Now, for the first time, scientists at the Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute have developed a fast and reliable method to date silk. This new technique, which is based on capillary...
DALLAS, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TruMoo® chocolate milk launches nationwide with lower sugar, fewer calories, no high fructose corn syrupTruMoo starts with fresh white milk and is made at regional dairies across the U.S., including Dean's®, Garelick Farms®, Alta Dena®, Meadow Gold®, LAND O LAKES®, Mayfield®, Tuscan® and othersConsumer taste tests favor TruMoo over national brands, chocolate drinks, and the Dean Foods own previous flavored milk formulasTruMoo...
Latest Silk Reference Libraries
The Golden Silk Spider (Nephila clavipes) is a species of orbweaver spider. It is found in the warmer regions of the Americas. In the United States, this species ranges throughout the coastal southeast and inland, from North Carolina to Texas. In many areas its distribution is somewhat localized and may be absent in many areas over wide areas. In some arboreal or swampy areas, adults and their webs can be found in large concentrations, especially near the coast. This species is also...
The JorÅ Spider (Nephila clavata) is a species of arachnid that is a member of the golden orb-web spider group. It is found in Japan (except HokkaidÅ), Korea, Taiwan and China. The web of the female can reach up to 39 inches in width. The yellow threads appear rich gold in sunlight. The web has three layers: the central orb, plus two irregular layers in front of and behind the orb. The adult female is about 1 inch. The male is much smaller and is no bigger than 0.4 inches. The...
The Argema mittrei, more commonly known as the Comet or Moon Moth, is an endangered species. It is a native of Madagascar and that is the only place where one can observe them in the wild. This large silk moth can be bred in captivity and is one of the world's largest moths. Males have an average wing span of nearly 8 inches and a tail span of almost 6 inches. The lifespan of an adult moth is only 4-5 days and they are capable of reproduction from day 1. Their cocoons are uniquely...
PHOTO CAPTION: Elachista rufocinerea (Photo taken by Keith Edkins) The Elachistidae are a family of Lepidoptera (moths). Their larvae have a wide variety of habits including leaf tiers, seed borers, and leaf or stem miners. The Emperor Gum Moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti) is a species native to Australia, and can be easily found in all the states except for Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. Eggs The eggs are laid on a leaf either singly or several in a row usually on...
The silkworm (Bombyx mori or "raw silk of mulberry") is the larva of a moth that is economically important as the producer of silk. Its diet consists solely of mulberry leaves and it is native to northern China. The silkworm is so called because it spins its cocoon from raw silk. The cocoon is made of a single continuous thread of raw silk from 1000 to 3000 feet (300 to 900 meters) long. Silkworms have a good appetite. They eat mulberry leaves day and night continuously. Thus, they grow...
