Kim, the super spider who learned to leap on command
THE science world is set for a major leap forward… thanks to a spider called Kim who has been trained to jump on demand.
The creature – who, like her namesake Kim Kardashian, has a generously proportioned derrière – is able to jump up to six times her body length from a standing start.
Researchers have been examining her technique as they hope to build micro-robots that can emulate jumping spiders. One possible use would be for pest control on crops.
Kim is a regal jumping spider, or Phidippus regius – a species famed for its jumping ability. Scientists from Manchester University were able to capture these remarkable images of Kim’s leaps using high-speed, high-resolution cameras.
Researchers wondered whether the spiders used their own muscle power or sprang forward using a form of hydraulics – pumping liquid into their legs to give themselves a powerful start.
The scientists said that although Kim is able to use this hydraulic technique, her muscles are quite powerful enough to propel her across large gaps.
For all her agility, she does not take any risks when jumping as she ties a strand of silk to terra firma before springing off.
The researchers trained her to leap on demand by presenting her with a series of gaps to jump, lifting her across manually at first before she learned to perform the task on her own.
Of four female spiders bought from a Manchester pet shop, only Kim co-operated with her trainers.
Dr Mostafa Nabawy, lead author of the study, said: ‘The focus of the present work is on the extraordinary jumping capability of these spiders.
‘A jumping spider can leap up to six times its body length from a standing start. The best a human can achieve is about oneand-a-half body lengths.’