Spider silk spinning field, the spinneret apparatus of an adult "Araneus diadematus" (garden cross spider) consists of the glands shown below. Similar multiple gland architecture exists in the black widow spider. In order to artificially synthesise spider silk into fibres, there are two broad areas that must be covered. These are synthesis of the feedstock (the unspun silk dope in spiders), and synthesis of the spinning conditions (the funnel, valve, tapering duct, and spigot). There have been a number of different approaches. The molecular structure of unspun silk is both complex and extremely long. Though this endows the silk fibres with their
Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus Lucius Caecilius Metellus Diadematus was the second son of Roman politician and general Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus. During his consulship in 117 BC he supported the development of roads in Italy and he probably built "Via Caecilia". A year later he was Proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul. In 115 BC Diadematus was elected Censor and during his censorship with Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus they expelled 32 Senators from the Senate. He was an opponent of Lucius Appuleius Saturninus and when Saturninus in 100 BC tried to oppose the Senate by means of force, together with other Senators they