Some wits assure: if a spider crawls on a woman’s hand, it means a piercing squeal, on a man’s hand, it means a wet spot from a crushed insect. It's hard to argue with them. Few people in such circumstances will calmly react to an insect, be it a creepy-looking tarantula or a harmless haymaker. But the signs have a different opinion. They predict a lot of good things for the person whom the spider chose for his walk. True, not always.
Depending on the direction
Up or down? Right or left? This question is crucial in almost all fortune-telling related to the spider.
Up
It is traditionally believed that an insect moving towards the ceiling is a sign of pleasant changes. Money sphere, personal relationships, career growth - everything should sparkle with new colors after the wise eight-legged insect honored you with his visit. If only it chose the right direction!.. On the other hand, having received such a sure sign of good luck, you yourself will become bolder and undoubtedly achieve more.
Down
If the alien persistently strives for your feet, the situation is exactly the opposite. Careers stall, money flows out, relationships begin to stall... Although the spider himself is hardly to blame for this. If you seriously believe in signs of fate and the wisdom of your ancestors, consider the insect as a messenger with an urgent message. Most likely, they point out some mistakes in your behavior and warn you: “If you don’t correct the situation, things will end badly.” Maybe you haven't really been doing the most sensible things lately?
Where it crawls
It happens that the spider did not reach you, but still caught your eye. According to superstitions, this is also an omen.
Along the wall
Follow where the insect goes
A spider on the wall most often predicts changes of a material nature. If it crawls away from a person or goes down to the baseboard, the coins will rattle in the wallet. Moves upward or towards you - get ready to listen to the pleasant crunch of bills in your wallet. And if a long-legged accountant falls off the wall onto someone’s clothes, you’ll soon have the opportunity to update your wardrobe.
Along the ceiling
The insect on the ceiling is associated with the house and the atmosphere in it. In ancient times, slightly dusty spider lace in one of the distant rooms served not as a sign that the hostess was poorly performing her duties, but as a talisman. The most favorable signs were considered to be to see:
- Spider in the center of the web.
- Spider at work.
The first sign was interpreted as a sign that everything is fine in the home, the relations between its inhabitants are good, and troubles and misfortunes will bypass it. The second, among other things, promised the fulfillment of a cherished desire. And sometimes, having noticed a spider on the ceiling, they began to wait for a letter. Naturally, with good news.
On the table
- If an insect falls on the table during a family dinner, it warns: you have a new enemy, be careful!
- If he crawls among plates and cups, pack your bags. There is either a long business trip ahead for one of the family members, or a move.
By bath
In general, a spider in the bathroom is considered a sign that you have pretty cluttered your life. After its appearance, the owners are invited to conduct an audit of material and spiritual values and get rid of unnecessary things. And it doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about a closet full of old junk, depressing memories or bad habits. There is only one point: if there is something that is preventing you from developing normally, it’s time to deal with it.
Subtle hint: it's time to put things in order in your life and thoughts
If the insect landed in the bath itself, signs explain this in different ways:
- First option. It's time for you to take a good bath. But not in the literal sense! Spiritual cleansing of accumulated negative feelings and emotions is required. Go on vacation, spend a weekend in nature, meditate... In a word, deal with your emotional experiences.
- Second option. In the near future there will be no time for meditation, as everyday problems will come to a head. You will have to spend a lot of time and effort on the hassle.
- Third option. Spiders drink water too. Yes, yes, these little vampires do not live by blood alone. The insect went to get a drink, slipped on the enamel wall of the bathtub and was unable to get out. Just don't wash it off! Killing a spider, according to legend, is punishable by illness and loss of luck.
If he goes up or down the web
- An insect climbing up its nets means good things.
- Goes down - to failure.
- Swinging on a cobweb right in front of your face - wait for news.
If it crawls on a person
What happens if a spider crawls over your body? We do not consider the option of loud squealing and immediate killing of the insect, especially since we have already mentioned that this is an extremely bad omen. Let's turn to more interesting interpretations.
On the head
If a spider falls on your head from the ceiling, descends on a cobweb, or otherwise gets to the top of your head, experts in superstitions suggest waiting for a gift. Some argue that after this, their career should take off sharply, while others begin to prepare for a surprise from someone close to them. In any case, the sign is favorable.
By the face
A spider that has chosen any part of the face as a landing site also rarely brings trouble with it. With few exceptions, the sign foretells a good, although not very significant, event.
On the cheek
And it’s scary, and the omen is not the best
The cheek is the very exception that we just mentioned. Have you heard the proverb “Cheeks are burning - people are talking”? Some beliefs claim that a spider touches the cheek if a person is about to become the object of evil gossip. Or someone is trying to denigrate you in the eyes of others and ruin your reputation. Be careful in your words and actions so as not to give slanderers a single chance.
By the ear
A spider on the ear means either just a good event or news. Or maybe you stubbornly refuse to notice something new that is knocking on your life? Then don't be surprised by the insect's behavior. Apparently, he decided to shout his news right into your ears.
By the neck
The compilers of the omens did not leave clear instructions regarding the neck. But since a spider on the body promises good things, then the neck can be considered a favorable omen by default. It's time to worry if an insect tries to get under your clothes. This:
- It's unpleasant in itself.
- Foretells omissions, quarrels and cooling in relationships.
- Indicates that your loved one is starting to look “to the left.”
But don’t rush into a showdown with your significant other just because a spider fell down your collar. Insects tend to look for darker and warmer burrows, so a loved one may have nothing to do with the actions of the eight-legged provocateur.
By hand: left and right
They say a spider on the palm prophesies a wedding
- If a spider crawls up your hand, easy money will come. If you find a wallet on the street, buy a lottery ticket, the boss will become generous and give everyone an extra bonus... One thing is offensive, this amount will be scattered in one fell swoop and, most likely, for nonsense.
- If an insect crawls down your arm, you won’t have to deal with it soon. Keep your finances under control to avoid going into debt, and plan your purchases carefully.
- Some interpret this sign differently: a spider on the right hand means money, on the left - the lack of it.
There is also such a sign: a spider on the right hand prophesies an acquaintance with a very influential person who will support you in the future.
On the shoulder
Did an insect run over your back or shoulders? Signs speak either of a large sum that you can receive, or of success in business. But unlike previous interpretations, this money will not be obtained so easily. Be prepared to work hard, but don’t be afraid of difficulties: in the near future you will be able to handle everything.
By leg
- If a spider crawls along your leg, it is inviting you to go.
- Moving upward - you'll have a great time. Call your friends and plan a trip to a holiday home, a camping trip, or, at worst, a party with dancing until the morning. Everything will go like clockwork and will leave many pleasant impressions.
- Is it crawling down? There is a business trip ahead, during which you will hardly be able to relax.
There are billions of insects living in the world around us. A significant proportion of them are spiders. Even if you live in the very center of the capital on the hundred and first floor of a brand new high-rise building, from time to time you will encounter them. And not always at the behest of higher powers! Therefore, look at the signs, but don’t turn off your head; then everything will definitely work out well. Sooner or later.
Some spiders have a rather massive body, however, despite gravity, they can easily climb absolutely smooth vertical surfaces. Zoologists have puzzled over this secret for many years, and now they have discovered an interesting anatomical feature and behavioral cunning of arthropods that allows them to crawl on any surface.
Spiders have thousands of tiny hairs on the tips of their legs that create contact points. These hairs are very small and flexible, and therefore can catch on any minimal unevenness. At the molecular level, every surface, even the smoothest in appearance, has roughness and bulges that can only be grasped by very thin hairs.
"Because the hairs on spiders' legs are also very flexible, they can cling to several parts of the surface at once. This provides additional stickiness," explains lead author Jonas Wolff, a biologist at the University of Kiel in Germany.
Unlike barnacles, which attach themselves to rocks or ship hulls, spiders only temporarily attach their legs to the surface on which they climb. Biologists call this ability dynamic attachment. The authors of the new study compare the process to putting stickers on a refrigerator.
“Unlike glue, which holds one surface to another for a long time, spider hairs stick to the bumps for just a second, after which the contact can be broken without much difficulty,” says Wolff, who has been studying this issue for many years.
As part of their experiment, scientists examined the abilities of spiders of the species Cupiennius salei. These arthropods generate enough adhesive force to keep them from falling, but are also able to quickly tear off their legs to instantly capture and consume prey.
As a rule, the attack on the victim lasts only a quarter of a second, after which the spider runs away at a speed of half a meter per second. For such manipulations, hairs must be torn off extremely quickly, says Wolff.
Initially, scientists assumed that the secret lay only in the hairs on the legs, but Wolff suspected that this was not the only feature of the spiders. He measured the force that the spider's body imparted to the glass, and it was equal to 97 milli-Newtons or 10 grams.
(photo by Shanthanu Bhardwaj/Flickr).
“It doesn’t sound very impressive, but this is three or four times the weight of the spider’s body. Thus, you can hang a load equal to its mass on the spider’s body, and the animal will not fall from a smooth vertical glass surface. In small specimens, this ratio is even higher, since the tips their paws are even smaller relative to their body volume,” says the biologist.
To determine how each individual leg generates the key force, the researchers applied warm beeswax to the spiders' legs, depriving them of their ability to cling to hairs. The paws were “turned off” first one at a time, then in pairs, and then all at once. The scientists found that the force generated by opposing paws (such as the front left and back right) unlocked the arthropod's ability to attach to smooth glass.
When the opposite legs move apart, more friction is generated between the hairs and the surface, and due to this, the spider attaches its body more securely. But at the moment when it is necessary to tear off the paws and capture the prey, the arthropods reduce the distance between the limbs, and the stickiness decreases.
In their article published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, Wolff and his colleagues talk about their observations and calculations. Scientists also mentioned that people would not be able to resort to the same trick even if they had: a person is too heavy for such abilities.
Many signs are associated with domestic inhabitants - a spider crawls upward, for example, when something good is expected. In general, knowledge of such folk wisdom allows you to really change your life for the better and significantly expand your worldview.
In the article:
Good omens - the spider is crawling up
If you see a spider crawling upward, signs promise an improvement in the well-being of everyone living in this house and even guests. You can expect an increase in income, profit growth and your standard of living. If you witness such a pleasant omen while visiting, be sure to please the hosts with the fact that they will live much better.
If you notice an arthropod going about its business somewhere near the ceiling in the evening, after sunset, don't forget to make a wish. It will definitely come true. At the same time, it does not lose its main meaning - to improve the financial situation.
If the spider heads upward, you may receive good news. At the same time, its color can tell you where or about whom to expect news. White spiders are love and relationships, gray ones are careers, red ones are money, black ones are relatives, brown and sandy ones are enemies.
It is worth remembering that the direction of movement of this creature is extremely important for interpretation. You can read about what it means when in another article on our website.
A spider crawling up the wall is a bad omen
It is a bad omen when a spider crawls up the wall and then ends up in a ventilation hole. This means that soon the family who lives in this house will soon leave success. There may be problems with money and quarrels within the family.
If the arthropod was heading upward, but someone killed it, that person, as well as the owners of the house, will experience loss of success. There will be a dark streak in life, you will lose profit and risk ruining relationships with relatives and your significant other.
If someone scared a spider heading up so much that it had to run away, something similar will happen to your financial situation. You will try to increase it, but at some point some event will affect your income in a negative way.
How to Avoid a Bad Omen
It is best to take bad omens as a guide to action. If ancient superstitions promise you health problems, get checked by doctors. If predictions of losses scare you, try to avoid them. Signs are only warnings, and it is impossible to say with confidence from whom exactly - higher powers, the spirits of deceased relatives or our subconscious.
But if you are still worried about accidentally causing serious trouble, there is no need to be nervous. You can perform a simple ceremony. Take the spider that is preventing you from living peacefully, but do it carefully. It is not recommended to offend arthropods, but is a bad omen.
Carefully take it outside or into the entrance. In your own words, ask the spider to leave and take with it all the bad things it brought into your home. After that, let him go and return home without talking to anyone or looking back.
In general, it is worth noting that almost all spiders are friendly creatures and are not at all dangerous to the home. Moreover, they also have practical benefits, as they eat pests. Therefore, even if you are not one of the superstitious people, try not to offend these eight-legged creatures once again.
In contact with
Watching in movies and on the pages of comics how any of our heroes perform superheroic deeds with the help of their superpowers, everyone sooner or later asks the question: how would he behave if he had supernatural powers at his disposal. What would you like? Run like the Flash? Fly like Superman? Hear and feel like Daredevil? Or crawl along walls like Spider-Man?
And here merciless science comes to the rescue. She takes out the starry-eyed superhero fan with a roundhouse kick to detail how such powers would work with real-life physics. Barry Allen would kill everyone he tried to save. Clark Kent would eat millions of insects every day. Matt Murdock could instantly go deaf or poisoned. But Peter Parker would be swinging huge hands the size of tennis rackets.
According to calculations by scientists from the University of Cambridge, a Spider-Man capable of sticking to walls would look quite strange. To support the weight of an adult man, the palms must be a meter in diameter, and the feet must correspond to European shoe size 145. One can only imagine what Tobey Maguire would look like with such limbs.
« If a person wanted to crawl up a wall like a gecko, they would need huge sticky feet. Shoe size - 145 European or 114 American" says Walter Fiederle, senior author from the Cambridge Department of Zoology.
The author of the original calculations, Dr. David Labonte, notes: “ As the size of the animal increases, the body surface area in volume decreases. An ant has a very large surface area but very little volume, whereas an elephant has one volume and a small surface area».
« This causes problems for large creatures attempting to climb vertical surfaces. The larger and heavier the animals, the more strongly they should stick, but they have less body surface area for suckers. In this way, the maximum size of an animal capable of sticking can be calculated. And we'll get a gecko."
But there is another solution to the problem: increase adhesion. This alternative is followed by animals whose size and weight precede the size of the sticking paws. So maybe Spider-Man won't have to fight criminals with giant potato sacks instead of fists and skis instead of feet after all.
During a long and tortured episode in the life of Peter Parker Clone Saga the hero had to face the consequences of increased stickiness. Cain, one of Spider-Man's clones created by the mad geneticist Jackal, gained the ability to "cauterize" human flesh precisely because his hands stuck too much.
So if you want to be Spider-Man in real life, don't be surprised if you're looked at as a freak, even without a mask. If evolution chooses the first option, then instead of arms and legs you will get flippers. If the second, then at the first attempt to save a person, there is a high probability that you will rip off his skin.
Scientists are not yet in a hurry to figure out how a person would produce a web in real life.
Primary source: gecko foot and micrograph of bristles with numerous “blades”
Goal: “Spider-Man suit”, allowing you to feel free on any surface
Gecko lizards can crawl along vertical walls and even ceilings thanks to millions of tiny hairs located on the soles of their feet. At the end of each hair there are thousands of miniature pads. These pads firmly adhere to any surface, interacting with it at the level of molecules and atoms, due to van der Waals forces having an electromagnetic nature. This mechanism allows geckos to support a weight several hundred times greater than their own weight, sticking their paws to the ceiling or wall.
The same principle can be successfully used to create a special suit with which a person can climb sheer walls. A corresponding statement was made by a group of Italian specialists led by Nicola Pugno. The idea is to coat gloves and boots with shredded synthetic bristles that provide a reasonable degree of adhesion to the surface. Similar materials already exist - let us recall that the ability of the Stickybot robot to move along vertical surfaces due to the many elastomer hairs covering its tentacles was previously demonstrated (we wrote about it in the article “Technologies of the Year”). However, not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance.
The force with which the Velcro sticks to the wall is directly dependent on the area. As the gecko's body size increases, the surface area of its soles will increase in proportion to the square of its length, and its weight will increase in proportion to the cube. It turns out that if a gecko is enlarged to the size of a person, it will not be able to climb any vertical walls. Therefore, Spiderman's gloves should have much more adhesion than gecko's feet.
Fortunately, the famous reptile geckos do not use the capabilities of Van der Waals forces one hundred percent. “According to some calculations, the adhesion force can be increased by as much as 200 times the level that lizards demonstrate. True, this is only a theory for now,” explains the Italian scientist. He expects to achieve acceptable performance through the use of carbon nanotubes.
However, ensuring proper adhesion is only half the battle. It is also necessary to think over a mechanism that would allow the wearer of the suit to tear off the Velcro from the wall (you need to somehow rearrange the arms and legs!). And finally, Velcro must have the ability to self-clean, otherwise dirt particles will very soon destroy them. This can be achieved by imparting very strong water-repellent properties to the adhering surface: miniature droplets of water flowing from the nanotubes will wash away foreign inclusions from them. To do this, it is enough to slightly change the topology of the working surface, although its “stickiness” will deteriorate. “It is very difficult to make all these elements work at the same time, since they are in a certain contradiction. However, geckos are living proof that in principle this is completely achievable,” concludes Nicola Puno.
