The gecko is a wonderful reptile that uses its sticky feet, not claws, to climb. The feet look delicate, but have a phenomenal grip. The total sticking power of one foot is sufficient to support the weight of a child and the sticking power of a gecko walking upside down can support a backpack weighing 90 pounds.
The strength to stick comes from tiny velveteen hairs. A gecko's foot is covered with half a million hairs, each much much finer than a human hair. At the tip of each hair, there are even smaller fibers. There are more than a billion of these split end-type fibers on each foot. Inter molecular forces act between the foot and the surface. At this level of intimacy, the molecules in both the Gecko's foot and surface become charged and are attracted to one another- not like magnetism, but more like a molecular embrace.
To stay on, the gecko has to continually reposition/readjust its feet. Unsticking is achieved by curling their toes. When the angle between a gecko's foot and the surface reaches to about 30 degrees, the molecular attraction is broken.
The gecko's sticking ability has been widely studied to replicate this phenomenal grip. Artificial gecko hairs have uses in micro surgery, computer chips and robotics. They may be used in dangerous rescue missions. Gecko tapes are trying to replicate the exact qualities of the gecko's feet- powerful, staying clean even after unsticking from surface, working under water, in vacuum or in zero-gravity.
Topics: Biomimicry
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