the difference between a net that catches you and one that just delays the fall.
means a net stretched taut under controlled force so it absorbs impact by resisting stretch, rather than hanging loose and letting things flop through.
from engineers borrowed the idea from trampolines and fishing nets, then made it mathematical: tension distributes load across the whole surface instead of concentrating it at one sagging point, which is why bridges, stadiums, and safety systems all quietly depend on the same trick.
golden gate net — suicide-deterrent net installed 2023, stainless steel, 20 feet below deck
circus safety nets — standard since 1871 after ringling-era trapeze fatalities
trampoline beds — woven polypropylene tensioned to springs for controlled rebound
rockfall barriers — tensioned steel mesh used across alpine highways since 1990s