Spinning Silk

Ariadne heard the door click softly behind her as Dr. Riemann reentered the room. She continued to peer into the microscope, examining the microbes found in a sample of the Vestigo’s soil. Instead of returning to his section of the lab, Riemann looked out the window, into the depths of the cosmos.

“Is something wrong, Dr. Riemann?” Ariadne inquired, already knowing the answer. For the past few weeks, Riemann had been bombarded by questions from the directors, yet she was confused as to why a prestigious environmental science researcher was involved with the mechanical functionalities of the spaceship.

“Something indeed, Ariadne…” He trailed off, walking over to his desk. Within moments, the familiar scent of artificially produced coffee beans wafted through the lab. “Vestigo is meant to be a self- sustaining ship, but there have been concerns from the mechanical engineers about how plausible that may be.”

Ariadne’s timidity was immediately replaced by curiosity. “When I was apprenticed with Director Tran, she mentioned that we had enough material to sustain ourselves for longer than the flight schedule.” Sure, at just seventeen years old, it was difficult for her to imagine the next twenty years aboard the Vestigo. But she had signed up readily all those months ago, eager to bring her experience in developing synthetic fibers that mirrored those found in ecosystems on Earth to a different solar system.

Riemann gave her a mirthless grin. “It appears as though we have a surplus of materials but lack the correct means to use them.” He paused as the intercom crackled to life with the pre-recorded voice of a woman who was now over 400 million miles away.

“Apprentices, your current apprenticeship cycle has now ended. Please prepare to begin a new session tomorrow.” Ariadne gave Riemann a pleading look, which he laughed kindly at.

“I understand wanting to work with the familiar,” he remarked as she packed up her notes. “But this system works for a reason.”

“I would rather draw the diagrams of a million more molecules than work with circuits,” she responded grumpily. Riemann gave her a sympathetic nod and handed her a mug of artificially-produced coffee as she left the lab.

***

The Vestigo’s curriculum had taught Ariadne much about herself. She had learned that she excelled in harnessing the periodic table of elements as a biochemist.
She had also learned that engineering frustrated her beyond belief.

The education system aboard the Vestigo ensured that students rotated among professionals and researchers from a plethora of disciplines. Every three weeks, Ariadne would find herself in a new facility, yet she always looked forward to working with Riemann, for she enjoyed exploring ecology with the familiar tools of a microscope and petri dish.

Many of the other labs did engage her, yet the mechanical engineering department was where she drew the line. She understood that the inner workings of machines integral to the ship were essential but her never-ending struggle to understand them left her dumbfounded. Riemann commiserated with her but often pushed her to try her hardest nonetheless, an approach that she wasn’t particularly fond of.
Early the next morning – or, at least, the time that the Vestigo designated to be the morning – Ariadne walked into the engineering facilities. Strolling down the long corridor, she saw server systems, computer labs, and expensive-looking machinery isolated in rooms like honeycombs in a beehive, which led into a large workspace full of tables already occupied by the buzzing engineers.

“Ariadne?” She turned to see the head of the lab, Dr. Valentina Torres, surrounded by a fleet of engineers. “Glad you could make it. I’m afraid that I’ve been a little preoccupied these past few weeks.”

“Is it because of the material shortage?” Ariadne inquired.

Torres nodded, apparently unsurprised, and gestured to one of the engineers. “Wesley will supervise your engineering training for now, but I’ll hopefully be able to meet with you soon.”

Ariadne hopped onto a stool next to Wesley, a young graduate student who, although only a few years older than her, appeared to be substantially more experienced. As they walked through extensive sets of documentation, Ariadne inquired about the concerns regarding the material shortage.

“You can’t account for everything in space,” Wesley explained. “If we use up all of our materials now, we won’t have enough to build a substantial colony in the next solar system.”

“What types of materials?” Ariadne asked, directing her attention to mounting a flywheel onto a prototype meant to collect samples from an extraterrestrial surface.

“Well, we’re using up too many raw materials that we can’t simply replace – we have so many metal stores that are essential for infrastructure but are too weak to use in small quantities…” Wesley paused as he noted Ariadne’s frustration. “Having trouble?”

“It makes sense,” Ariadne said, peering at the documentation. “But the design is so inefficient.” Wesley frowned, reading the section she was referencing.

“See how much unnecessary energy we draw from the motors to collect samples? Imagine being able to passively import the materials, like in the transport tissue of vascular plants…” Ariadne stopped suddenly. “I’m sorry. I keep treating this like an ecology problem.”

Wesley held up a hand to stop her, still perusing the instructions. “No – you’re right. This could be much more efficient.” He looked up at her. “How did you come up with that?”

“Biomimicry, I suppose. It’s because I’ve studied tissue transport in Dr. Riemann’s lab.” Ariadne paused, then hurriedly added, “But of course, that wouldn’t work in the engineering department.” Wesley suddenly jumped off of his stool and rushed to one of the adjoining rooms, returning in moments with Dr. Torres.

“Wesley tells me that you’ve exposed a flaw in our training assignments?” Torres inquired amusedly. “More than that, Valentina,” Wesley interjected. “Tell her about the bio- the biome-”

“Biomimicry,” Ariadne said. “It’s just modelling observable patterns in nature. I don’t even know if it would work here since I’m not exactly an expert in engineering.”

“You don’t have to be,” Torres stated firmly. “But this could mean something – maybe even for this entire situation at large.” She glanced at Wesley. “Take her around. I want her to learn to use more complex machines.”

“Dr. Torres,” Ariadne protested. “I barely know how to use power tools, never mind calculating torque or building robots or –”

Torres raised her hand, silencing her objections. “Ariadne, how will you know if you don’t try?”

***

For the next few weeks, Ariadne was constantly surrounded by a whirlwind of activity. She learned programming fundamentals to traverse datasets that stored information about species on Earth with unique adaptations. Wesley taught her to model items using software and 3D print them for prototypes. Switching out the materials, testing densities and tensions, and employing mathematical functions, Ariadne found herself engrossed in the aspects of engineering that appealed to her project-oriented mindset.

In the end, the solution came from an occupant of an overlooked ecosystem – a house.

“Spider silk?” Wesley reread the phrase in Ariadne’s stack of notes. “You want to replace steel with silk?”

“It’s durable and has admirable tensile strength.” Ariadne leaned forward, watching the 3D printer whir as it produced the seventh prototype of a material that mimicked the chemical properties and structure of spider silk. “And most importantly, it’s renewable.”

Wesley frowned, turning a page. “Sure, if we get the formula right.”

Over the next few weeks, Ariadne spent every spare moment in the engineering department. Dr. Riemann often accompanied her, bringing physical books from his personal collection to suggest alternate formulas. The first few prototypes were flimsy, lacking the cohesive and subtle strength exuded by spider silk. The later few were much stronger – to the point that they were impossible to work with.

“They have to be renewable,” Ariadne insisted after a few engineers suggested moving forward with the current version. “Yes, they’re adequate, but if we don’t keep testing, we won’t find a satisfactory solution.”

One day, Riemann dropped a heavy manuscript on top of the images of intricate webs scattered around Ariadne’s desk.

“Recombinant DNA?” Her interest was piqued as they read through the process of altering the genetic code that they had not once deviated from in their initial prototypes. Now, Ariadne called on engineers across the department to study architectural designs of buildings that managed to defy gravity and the materials used in their construction. Ariadne rapidly parsed the codons of the silk gene using her programming capabilities, surprised at her ability to pick up an unfamiliar skill when working towards a final goal.

Months later, Ariadne stood beside Riemann and the entire engineering department as a group of technicians hooked their finalized manufactured spider silk to the unmoving internal turbines of the ship in a shape resembling a web. As Torres gave the signal, the turbines were slowly powered.

The silk didn’t rip.

If anything, it buffeted against the winds generated by the rotating motors. There was a collective cheer as engineers, scientists, and passengers alike celebrated the results of months of work.

“Well, Ariadne,” Torres remarked as she returned to the beaming girl’s side. “Who knew you could make such a remarkable engineer?”

Ariadne was too stunned to reply. Her mind was already swimming with ideas of how else she could contribute to the colony – mimicking flight patterns from winged creatures, simulating structures found in animals’ abodes, perhaps even replicating aspects of photosynthesis –

As she looked out into the sea of stars, a sense of hope filled her spirit. The possibilities in the vast realm of space were endless.

Engineer's Note:

As the passengers of the Vestigo hurtle through time and space into an unknown solar system, guided by a limited set of Earth-based knowledge and their own skills, the current students that will be establishing the first extracurricular colony will need to be equipped with the tools required for them to take all they have learned aboard the comfort of the ship and apply it to unpredictable situations in the colony.

Every three weeks, students will rotate among the labs and facilities in the Vestigo to work with world- class researchers and specialists who are experts in their fields. Besides completing basic academic work that gives them the fundamental understanding of a subject or field, the students will also work with heads of the laboratory on a project essential to the core functions of the ship, giving them experience with advanced technology. A student apprenticed under a botanist may, for instance, analyze the crops being grown on the Vestigo. Such experiences prepare the students for real-life scenarios they may encounter when establishing the colony but will also give them the soft skills necessary to work with others. By melding an interdisciplinary curriculum into their work and assisting mentors from various fields, the students will learn essential skills such as teamwork and leadership.

This education system also emphasizes a degree of independence among student researchers as they work on projects that may be implemented on the Vestigo. By allowing students to test apparatuses that they develop or conjectures that work theoretically in a controlled lab environment, the mentors aboard the spaceship can ensure that students comprehend the scientific method. Through a trial and error process that encourages learning from setbacks rather than being deterred by them, this system will ensure that students learn to prototype and consider a wide variety of variables. Students will be free to consult their peers, mentors, and the variety of digitalized and physical manuscripts and books that contain a wealth of human intelligence.

Over the next twenty years, students are expected to take a greater role in making decisions that factor into the course of the Vestigo’s voyage. Prior to arriving at the colony, they will work in teams to assess the strengths of their peers and delegate responsibilities to each member. By taking the knowledge from their years of training and applying it to projects that will be implemented in the colony, students will be able to build upon the works of their mentors and suggest their own improvements. The apprenticeship cycle may be adapted for adult experts aboard the ship who seek to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the colony’s plans, which will ensure that each passenger can actively contribute to the colony’s survival and the expansion of human knowledge.

Through implementing research and testing their hypotheses, students will grow from inexperienced scholars to confident scientists and engineers, eager to tackle the challenges that await them at the colony and treating each experiment, whether it was a failure or success, as a learning opportunity.

Annotated Bibliography

Annunziata, M. (2019, December). 2020: The Year Ahead In 3D (Printing). Forbes, Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcoannunziata/2019/12/17/2020-the-year-ahead-in-3d- printing/#6e6bff61407f.
3D printing opens a realm of possibilities for prototyping due to the methodology of stacking layers of material, which allows for precise designs that can serve as components of a greater product. The future of 3D printing is promising due to the rapid advances being made with the hardware, which suggests that future engineering projects can benefit from this accurate and increasingly accessible tool.

Berkebile, R. J., & McLennan, J. F. (1999, October). The living building. World & I, Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2263344487?accountid=196506.
The authors delve into outdated versus modern practices that reflect biological concepts found in nature in architectural designs, considering the sources of inspiration that an architect may consider and the functionality of such features in a physical building. By considering renewable energy systems in the design of a building, the authors foster a conversation about eco-friendly architecture in coming years.

Hamilton, G. (1996, March). Stealing nature's secrets. Equinox, Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2250074393?accountid=196506.
Biomimetics is a field that merges various sciences with the hopes of developing viable products that take inspiration from natural processes to inform advances in engineering. From discussing the pressure that a horse’s hoof can withstand to the properties of a banana slug gland, the authors emphasizes that numerous advances have been made in bioengineering by studying other species.

Hammond, D. M., & Lalor, M. M. (2009). Promoting STEM careers among undergraduates through interdisciplinary engineering research. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 30(2), 26–33. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=48359738&site=ehost-live.
With the aim of engaging undergraduate students in engineering fields, researchers introduced an interdisciplinary course of study to see how students’ outlook on a future in STEM was influenced. Due to the interactions that students had with members of a university and their engagement with research opportunities as part of their curriculum, the authors concluded that implementing an interdisciplinary view of engineering could positively impact students’ engagement.

Mortice, Z. (2016, July). Nature does it better: biomimicry in architecture and engineering. Redshift, Retrieved from https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/biomimicry-in-architecture/.
Biomimicry technology has been used to design non-traditional buildings by reflecting patterns found in nature in engineering techniques. Artistic exhibitions, medical products, and advances in material sciences have all benefited from maximizing functionality from a limited amount of resources, which is a process common in various species.

Sutton, R. (2007, May). The power of the prototyping mind-set. Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2007/05/the-power-of-the-prototyping-m-1.
User engagement is an essential part of prototyping in the hopes of developing a final product, for only by receiving feedback on the components of a product version can the developer continue to improve. In this article, the author considers the bold steps taken by an entrepreneur who is actively engaging his audience and considers the lessons to be garnered from this form of prototyping with respect to previous standards.

Tokareva, O., Michalczechen-Lacerda, V. A., Rech, E. L., & Kaplan, D. L. (2013). Recombinant DNA production of spider silk proteins. Microbial Biotechnology, 6(6), 651-663. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.12081.
Spider silk is a complex polymer that scientists have sought to model due to the properties that make it extremely durable. As they study the building blocks of spider silk, the authors also discuss endeavors that seek to examine the genetic components constituting this unique polymer.

Ugras, M. (2018). The effect of STEM activities on STEM attitudes, scientific creativity and motivation beliefs of the students and their views on STEM education. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 10(5), 165-182.
In an effort to account for the increasing need for skills associated with the fields comprising STEM, researchers conducted an experiment with 7th grade students that sought to explore how an intensive STEM curriculum could influence the students’ mindset. Following the research, they found that the positive attributes that students associated with STEM were conducive for further academic and career- oriented exploration.