When Spiders Go Airborne, It's Electric — Literally
Many spiders ply the skies by riding "balloons" of silk. And they rely on something more than just the wind to take them high up and far away.
Many spiders fly long distances by riding "balloons" of silk, and a new study suggests that they're propelled by more than just the wind.
Electric fields at strengths found in nature can also trigger the spiders' ballooning behavior. And electrostatic forces can lift up the spiders even when the air is still, according to a newly published in the journal .
