Ideas worth spreading

Silk, the ancient material of the future

824,328 views | Fiorenzo Omenetto • TED2011

Fiorenzo Omenetto shares 20+ astonishing new uses for silk, one of nature's most elegant materials -- in transmitting light, improving sustainability, adding strength and making medical leaps and bounds. On stage, he shows a few intriguing items made of the versatile stuff.

Fiorenzo Omenetto shares 20+ astonishing new uses for silk, one of nature's most elegant materials -- in transmitting light, improving sustainability, adding strength and making medical leaps and bounds. On stage, he shows a few intriguing items made of the versatile stuff.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Fiorenzo Omenetto

Fiorenzo Omenetto

Biomedical engineer

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Fiorenzo G. Omenetto's research spans nonlinear optics, nanostructured materials (such as photonic crystals and photonic crystal fibers), biomaterials and biopolymer-based photonics. Most recently, he's working on high-tech applications for silk.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.