] About a year ago, researchers [took] genetic material
] from spiders, spliced it into mammalian cells and used
] the cells to produce silk proteins.
]
] Now, researchers in Japan have done a similar bit of
] genetic engineering, only with a reverse goal in mind.
] They've modified silkworms to produce a mammalian protein
] -- specifically, human-type collagen -- along with silk
] in their cocoons.

This is a pretty rad example of applied science. This article also talks about the use of GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) in optical-based switches.

Down a New Silk Road