Spidey's Web Unravelled

Although Peter Parker might have been the first to create an "advanced adhesive compound" that allowed him to swing from building to building, researchers in UCR have found a way to synthetically produce dragline silk, the web spun by black widow spiders, which is incredibly strong and extensible. Not only will it allow someone to hang upside down from a ceiling, its properties can be used to make lightweight super strong body armour, micro sutures and even a new line of high-tech Nike Spidey sportswear.

Coincidently, the research was funded by the US Army (think dragline stormtrooper exoskeleton), which goes to show again that the best inventions usually come from the worst of intentions.