All it takes is a little twist, and fishing line and nylon carpet fibers may soon star as the latest in high-technology clothing and industry, report scientists. The secret isn't in complex manufacturing or exotic materials, but in coils given to the line.

A team led by researchers from the University of Texas, Dallas, has come up with a way to take polyethylene fishing line and nylon threads and turn them into fibers capable of lifting nearly a ton or rotating to produce as much horsepower, pound for pound, as a jet engine.

The coiled threads, called artificial muscles, promise technologies ranging from heat-sensing drapes to coats that tighten their pores on a chilly day to keep wearers warm.