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Stronger Than Steel: Spider Silk DNA And The Quest For Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, And Parachute Rope (2013)

by Bridget Heos(Favorite Author)

3.58 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0547681267 (ISBN13: 9780547681269)

languge

English

genre

Middle Grade & Children's

publisher

HMH Books for Young Readers

review 1: What do goats and spiders have in common? Don't let the golden orb weaver on the front cover (or crawling up a five-year-old's face) creep you out. This Scientists in the Field book is about more than just spiders. It's about DNA, transgenic organisms like goats and alfalfa, potential spider silk products, diabetes, bacteria, the ethics of animal testing, and spider astronauts. The animal testing section would make a great launch pad for argument writing! The work scientists do is fascinating, and this series continues to make it accessible to kids. The goat photograph on the back is much cuter than the spider on the front, I must say.
review 2: I'd rate this 4.5 since it is certainly a well-written and well-photographed entry in the Scientists in the Field s... moreeries. Although much of the book follows scientist Randy Lewis and his work with spider silk DNA and goats, there are also intriguing sections about alfalfa, silkworms, and goats. The book contains excellent explanations of the process of implanting goats with the DNA to possibly produce milk that contains proteins that can be spun into spider silk. The process of harvesting silk is tedious and time-consuming, but scientists are convinced that this engineered silk could be exceptionally strong and have many uses. Not only does the book discuss and illustrate the harvesting process, but the author is careful to acknowledge the controversy associated with transgenic plants and animals. This is another must-have for the science classroom shelf or for any classroom in which teachers want to encourage students to debate the pros and cons of medical advances. less

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