In all fairness, Peter Parker hasn't changed his hair since 1960.Now, you might be asking "What are urticating hairs?". If you're not asking that, I'm going to pretend you did! Urticating hairs are basically barbed, stinging hairs. They are a defense mechanism used by many different species of both plants and animals. But possibly the most impressive utilization of these hairs is found in a number of New World tarantula species.
When the tarantula feels threatened, it will kick these hairs off of its legs, aiming at the eyes and skin of its assailant. These hairs can embed themselves in the other animal's skin or eyes and produce physical irritation.
Here is where things get interesting- not every hair on the tarantula is created equally. There are up to six known types of urticating hairs on tarantulas, classified from Type I to Type VI. They are all different sized and shape. What role does that play? Scientists believe that each type of hair targets different kinds of animals. For example, Type III and IV hairs are most irritating to mammalian predators.
You'll never look at hair the same way again.A somewhat more serious condition, called Opthalmia nodosa, an irritation and inflammation of the cornea, can be caused when urticating hairs are lodged in the eye.
So, yes, Spiderman can crawl on walls and shoot webbing from his wrists, but ask yourself this:
Wouldn't all of Spidey's enemies be dispatched much quicker if he'd just shoot some hair into their eyes?
But then you'd ruin this awesome do.
