And now for the most terrifying science news of the day: a new study shows that tarantulas move faster in warmer weather.
A study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology tested Texas brown tarantulas’ speeds in a variety of temperatures, Science Magazine from AAAS reports. The hotter the temperature, the faster the spiders scuttled.
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Speeds at the warmest temperature tested—40°C (104°F)—were 2.5 times faster than speeds at the coldest—15°C (59°F).
The reason for the spiders’ temperature sensitivity has to do with the fact that their eight legs are not controlled by muscles. Instead, a hydraulic fluid called hemolymph courses through the appendages to make them flex and extend, and the flow of the fluid is sensitive to temperature.
So arachnophobes, beware of the desert.
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