New researcher has discovered that spiderwebs are exceptional at catching environmental DNA for scientists to study.
Life on Earth is a rich and beautiful thing. But there’s a lot that is changing and even fraying thanks to the effect that human-caused habitat loss and global warming are having on the environment. As more and more species vanish, researchers have found new ways to track environmental DNA, and it’s all because of spiderwebs.
Sure, spiderwebs might be annoying to run into in the wild, but what if I told you that the web you’re contemplating tearing down with your hands is actually a treasure trove of environmental DNA that could teach researchers more about the world?
What’s even more intriguing is that this is an exceptionally low-cost and noninvasive tool that doesn’t require us to set up expensive equipment and further mess with the environment we’re trying to study.
