spiders | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/spiders/RSS feed for spidersenWed, 15 Jul 2026 20:02:54 +0000Scientists Ranked Hundreds of Spider Species by Running Speed. Australia's Huge, Hairy Brown Huntsman Came Out on Tophttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-ranked-hundreds-of-spider-species-by-running-speed-australias-huge-hairy-brown-huntsman-came-out-on-top-180989132/The brown huntsman can sprint at a maximum speed of eight miles per hour, although it can only maintain that pace for a fraction of a second. The research will lead to a better understanding of the evolution and biomechanics of arachnidsWed, 15 Jul 2026 20:02:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-ranked-hundreds-of-spider-species-by-running-speed-australias-huge-hairy-brown-huntsman-came-out-on-top-180989132/This Newly Discovered Spider Builds a Unique Web That Catapults Ants Through the Airhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/Flung prey can reach speeds of up to 14.4 feet per second, or a little less than ten miles per hour. An insect will land in the spider's main web about a foot above the spring-loaded trapWed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/