Life
When spiders self-amputate two of their legs, they quickly adjust their running gait so they can return to full speed
4 February 2025
Tarantulas can ditch their legs to escape danger and grow them back
Jcrader/Getty Images
Spiders can reach their top running speeds again soon after self-amputating a limb – a trick that could inspire robots that can move more effectively when they are damaged.
When threatened by a predator, spiders can detach their legs in a process called autotomy – up to 40 per cent of wild spiders have missing legs as a result. Their legs fully grow back when they moult, which can be within one to two months for juveniles.
