Bombyx mori 300 to about 900 m (1,000 to 3,000 ft) long. The fibers are very fine and lustrous, about 10 μm (0.0004 in) in diameter. About 2,000 to 3,000 cocoons are required to make a pound of silk (0.4 kg). At least 70 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year, requiring nearly 10 billion cocoons. Due to its small size and ease of culture, the silkworm has become a model organism in the study of lepidopteran and arthropod biology. Fundamental findings on pheromones, hormones, brain structures, and physiology have been made with the silkworm. One example of this was
Ipsos MORI 1969 by Robert Worcester, and throughout its existence was the largest independent research organisation in the United Kingdom. MORI was bought by Ipsos in 2005 for £88 million, the combined company being now known as 'Ipsos MORI'. The same year, Robert Worcester stepped down from chairmanship of MORI. Ben Page is now Chief Executive. In 2006, Ipsos MORI were the first research agency in the world to gain ISO 20252, the new international quality standard for research. Ipsos MORI is a current member of the Market Research Society and are obliged to conduct surveys according to their rules. For example,