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Dr. Peter N Witt

Spiders, Drugs and Human Behavior

  • About Dr. Peter N Witt
    • Dr. Peter N Witt Biography
    • Memoirs
    • on To Tell the Truth
    • CV
    • Obituary
  • HUMAN INTEREST ARTICLES
    • 1940’s
    • 1950’s
    • 1960’s
    • 1970’s
    • 1980’s
  • SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES
    • 1940’s
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    • 1970’s
    • 1980’s
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  • SPIDER & WEB GALLERY

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Mystery friend was ‘Spider-Man’<br><strong>New Observer</strong>

Mystery friend was ‘Spider-Man’
New Observer

February 2000

Pete’s Cheese

Pete’s Cheese

July 1981

Creepy Crawlers <br><strong> The News and Observer</strong>

Creepy Crawlers
The News and Observer

October 1979

WEB-SIGNAL PROCESSING FOR TOLERANCE AND GROUP PREDATION IN THE SOCIAL SPIDER MALLOS GREG ALIS SIMON<br><strong>  Animal Behavior</strong>

WEB-SIGNAL PROCESSING FOR TOLERANCE AND GROUP PREDATION IN THE SOCIAL SPIDER MALLOS GREG ALIS SIMON
Animal Behavior

June 1979

WEBSTERS FIRST<br><strong>American Way</strong>

WEBSTERS FIRST
American Way

April 1979

Unraveling the Spider’s Web <br><strong>Science News</strong>

Unraveling the Spider’s Web
Science News

February 1979

Into the spider’s parlor<br><strong>People</strong>

Into the spider’s parlor
People

December 1978

Orb-Web Photography Outdoors: A Graphic Data-Collection <br><strong> THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST</strong>

Orb-Web Photography Outdoors: A Graphic Data-Collection
THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST

October 1977

Social Spiders<br><strong>SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN</strong>

Social Spiders
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

March 1976

Space Spiders Bug Skylab<br><strong>The News and Observer</strong>

Space Spiders Bug Skylab
The News and Observer

July 1973

Raleighite behind Skylab spiders<br><strong>Times</strong>

Raleighite behind Skylab spiders
Times

May 1973

What’s So Special About Spiders?<br><strong>National Geographic</strong>

What’s So Special About Spiders?
National Geographic

August 1971

Cover<br><strong>Science</strong>

Cover
Science

December 1967

North Carolina Called Spider Paradise <br><strong>North Carolina Leader</strong>

North Carolina Called Spider Paradise
North Carolina Leader

February 1967

The Spider’s Web – Research Tool<br><strong>Senior Science</strong>

The Spider’s Web – Research Tool
Senior Science

January 1967

The “Fingerprints” of Drugs

The “Fingerprints” of Drugs

October 1962

Berauschte Spinnen <br><strong>Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung</strong>

Berauschte Spinnen
Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung

December 1955

Le laser rend les araignées folles <br><strong>Sciences Et Avenir</strong>

Le laser rend les araignées folles
Sciences Et Avenir

December 1955

Dope for the Spider<br><strong>Illustrated</strong>

Dope for the Spider
Illustrated

February 1955

Spider Webs and Drugs <br><strong>Scientific American</strong>

Spider Webs and Drugs
Scientific American

December 1954

SPIDERS SPIN IN DRUG STUDY<br><strong>Life</strong>

SPIDERS SPIN IN DRUG STUDY
Life

March 1954

Dr Peter Witt

Dr. Peter Witt, 1973

Dr Peter Witt‘s work applied drugs to orb web spiders using spider web geometry to identify biochemical abnormalities. Peter Witt (1940’s – 1990’s)’s comprehensive body of work features articles (Life, National Geographic), Spider Communication, Life on a Thread and his work with the North Carolina Department of Mental Health.
After what he always described as his accidental discovery of the effects of drugs on the geometry of the orb web, a major portion of Dr Peter Witt’s subsequent written work (over 100 papers and 3 books) was concerned with the behavior and biology of spiders.  Scientific Articles offer Peter Witt’s complete works, while human interest articles include features like experiments by NASA in the Skylab in the early 1970’s.
“He was a man of courage when it was dangerous to be so, of boldness in his experiments and of generosity with his colleagues, students and friends” said Charles Reed in Peter Witt’s 1998 obituary.  He is survived by his daughters, Elise Witt and Mary Witt. 

 

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  • Dr. Peter N Witt’s Biography
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Created by Jessica Lily · Copyright © 1947–2023 Dr. Peter N. Witt · All Rights Reserved · Website provided by Elise and Mary Witt.

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