Dominating this picture, a giant orb-weaving spider, (Mongolarachne jurassica) having spun a web amongst the Ginko baiera twigs, has just caught a giant cicada (Palaeontinodes reshuitangensis).

Little did they know they were in for what Shamble says was “a huge surprise”: the strength of this spiders’ silk parallels—and even surpasses—that of most orb weaver spiders, which produce the ...