World Spider-man physiology, how in-human?

[The Slang]

I've always been reasonably satisfied with the explanation for spider-mans powers, that he was bitten by an irradiated spider. But it does leave alot to the imagination. The radiation used isnt specific, but what is clear is that it caused super-human powers and most likely a transference of genetic information from the spider to peter parker during the bite.
Because this occured as an accident in an uncontrolled condition, the transformation process in never completely understood, the effects completely random and impossible to duplicate. So my point is that some of spider-mans 'powers' could be the result of random mutation (from the radiation) as much as the result of gaining spider DNA. Or a bit of a mix of both.
The purpose of this thread is just to share the explanations for how spider-man's physiology allows him to do what he does. I've heard a few for how he's supposed to stick to walls.

I'll start on the 'spider-strength'. How did his strength increase after the bite? A spider is probably about as strong as an ant which is said to be able to lift 20 times its weight, but a spider is able to do this due to its fluid filled exo skeleton that acts like a hydraulic press. Maybe the exoskeleton gene mutated in parker and resulted in a kind of 'endo-armour' (a bit wolverine like eh?) like a full body callus, or hardened muscle tissue. This would also explain how he can withstand a large impact or fall. If that were the case, he may look noticably 'in-human' on the inside and have to be careful if he wants to get a check up at the local clnic. Did Spider-man have to visit a doctor in costume to protect his identity sometimes?

 

[Dragon]

I've thought a bit about how Peter's powers work. For one thing, I think that the term spider-powers are a bit misleading, as Peter's powers are more about enhancement of human abilities than working as a spider's natural abilities do.

His strength, agility, speed, even spider sense are more about increasing of human abilities (The Spider-sense is an enhancement of human brain function, along the lines of clairvoyance, not really anything reflecting a spider's ability).

The only true spider-like ability he has is climbing walls, and even that ability functions a bit differently from spiders, execpt for the "static-cling" effect.

As for his strength, I think that's mostly about his musculature and skeleton becoming more dense. This would also explain his increased durability.

This is alo why I've always objected to organic webshooters. While I can understand his body bcoming stronger in its natural abilitird, or even developing simple additions like the spiny-hairs that help him climb walls and adhere to things, his developing whole new organs (Overnight no less) to produce webbing took things a bit too far.

 

[The Slang]

I was never a fan of the organic web shooters. But I have thought that it might be a good idea to have parker extract atleast some of the ingredients in the 'web fluid' from his own body. I just can't think of a way of doing this without being gross.

About the spider-sense though, in some ways i think this could be a spider-ability that was distorted in the mutation. Maybe its a hightened sensitivity to vibration, and changes in atmosphere/air, which a spider has, that functions on a subconscious level. Acting like a 6th sense. Spiders always know to come in before it rains... i think that might actually be the major reason behind the inclusion of an early warning system in spideys list of powers. But yeh, so maybe he can sense tiny vibrations and changes in air movement/atmosphere at a subconscious level but only when he detects something potentially dangerous or just important, it creates shock and adrenaline that brings the specific observation to surface in his conscious mind. Resulting in the spider-sense.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I always like to think that Peter Parker's arachnid abilities adapted in human ways thereby decreasing his physiological likeness to a spider (ick-just gross).

Spiders have quick reaction time due to body hairs but Parker's quick reaction time is borderline ESP (extra sensory perception). Instead of him getting body hairs the radiation re-interpreted the ability as a purely mental skill, a spidey sense.

Spiders have a clinging ability that is due to tiny hairs and claws on their "feet". Peter Parker give off a static field temporary shifting of the electrons in the molecules in opposing walls kind of like geckos do. This ability is stronger than a spiders climbing skills which is why Peter adaptation didn't mimic the spiders exactly. It adapted a more advanced form of climbing.

And the most human adaptation is Peter Parkers mechanical webshooter an adaptation with the unique human signature of scientific discovery. I like the theory that the spider-bite gave Parker the instinctive knowledge of how to create web formula. A more complex instinct than birds going south for the winter. It's more complex because the human brain is more complex and therefore probably capable of for more advanced instinctive behavior. Instead of Parker growing spider organs to spin webs his brain developed pathways that made him knowledgeable about what to include in the formula the same way a bird knows what ingredients to include in a nest.

Simply growing spider-parts is a lazy interpretation of Spider-man's unique abilities.

 

[VuMania]

There was a documentary on the History Channel called Spider-man Tech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32_r4u09foQ&feature=related

It goes into an analysis of how someone would go about acquiring spider powers.