What scientists seek to emulate...
gecko:
i have seen a show recently where some researchers have managed to "replicate" the molecular properties of the gecko's feet to the point where climbing a glass wall like spiderman is virtually possible now. apparantly the gecko's feet pads are created in such a way that the skin MOLECULES actually INTERACT with the surface MOLECULES of glass. that's why they can climb a smooth surface. for an instant it's as if they almost become part of the surface they are on. sounds unbelieveable and too incredible to be true! where will science and nature take us next?
FROM WIKIPEDIA~a better explanation
The toes of the gecko have a special adaptation that allows them to adhere to most surfaces without the use of liquids or surface tension. Recent studies of the spatula tipped setae on gecko footpads demonstrate that the attractive forces that hold geckos to surfaces are van der Waals interactions between the finely divided setae and the surfaces themselves. Every square millimeter of a gecko's footpad contains about 14,000 hair-like setae. Each seta has a diameter of 5 micrometers. Human hair varies from 18 to 180 micrometers, so a human hair could hold between 3 and 36 setae. Each seta is in turn tipped with between 100 and 1,000 spatulae.[4] Each spatula is 0.2 micrometer long[4] (one five-millionth of a meter), or just below the wavelength of visible light.[5]
Uroplatus fimbriatus clinging to glass.These van der Waals interactions involve no fluids; in theory, a boot made of synthetic setae would adhere as easily to the surface of the International Space Station as it would to a living room wall, although adhesion varies with humidity and is dramatically reduced under water, suggesting a contribution from capillarity.[6] The setae on the feet of geckos are also self cleaning and will usually remove any clogging dirt within a few steps.[4][7] Teflon, which has very low van der Waals forces,[8] is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick.[9] Geckos' toes seem to be "double jointed", but this is a misnomer. Their toes actually bend in the opposite direction from our fingers and toes. This allows them to overcome the van der Waals force by peeling their toes off surfaces from the tips inward. In essence, this peeling action alters the angle of incidence between millions of individual setae and the surface, reducing the Van der Waals force. Geckos' toes operate well below their full attractive capabilities for most of the time. This is because there is a great margin for error depending upon the roughness of the surface, and therefore the number of setae in contact with that surface. If a typical mature 70 g (2.5 oz) gecko had every one of its setae in contact with a surface, it would be capable of holding aloft a weight of 133 kg (290 lb):[10] each spatula can exert an adhesive force of 10 nanonewtons (0.0010 mgf).[6] Each seta can resist 10 milligrams-force (100 µN), which is equivalent to 10 atmospheres of pull.[4]. This means a gecko can support about eight times its weight hanging from just one toe on smooth glass
What scientists seek to emulate...
gecko:
i have seen a show recently where some researchers have managed to "replicate" the molecular properties of the gecko's feet to the point where climbing a glass wall like spiderman is virtually possible now. apparantly the gecko's feet pads are created in such a way that the skin MOLECULES actually INTERACT with the surface MOLECULES of glass. that's why they can climb a smooth surface. for an instant it's as if they almost become part of the surface they are on. sounds unbelieveable and too incredible to be true! where will science and nature take us next?
FROM WIKIPEDIA~a better explanation
The toes of the gecko have a special adaptation that allows them to adhere to most surfaces without the use of liquids or surface tension. Recent studies of the spatula tipped setae on gecko footpads demonstrate that the attractive forces that hold geckos to surfaces are van der Waals interactions between the finely divided setae and the surfaces themselves. Every square millimeter of a gecko's footpad contains about 14,000 hair-like setae. Each seta has a diameter of 5 micrometers. Human hair varies from 18 to 180 micrometers, so a human hair could hold between 3 and 36 setae. Each seta is in turn tipped with between 100 and 1,000 spatulae.[4] Each spatula is 0.2 micrometer long[4] (one five-millionth of a meter), or just below the wavelength of visible light.[5]
Uroplatus fimbriatus clinging to glass.These van der Waals interactions involve no fluids; in theory, a boot made of synthetic setae would adhere as easily to the surface of the International Space Station as it would to a living room wall, although adhesion varies with humidity and is dramatically reduced under water, suggesting a contribution from capillarity.[6] The setae on the feet of geckos are also self cleaning and will usually remove any clogging dirt within a few steps.[4][7] Teflon, which has very low van der Waals forces,[8] is the only known surface to which a gecko cannot stick.[9] Geckos' toes seem to be "double jointed", but this is a misnomer. Their toes actually bend in the opposite direction from our fingers and toes. This allows them to overcome the van der Waals force by peeling their toes off surfaces from the tips inward. In essence, this peeling action alters the angle of incidence between millions of individual setae and the surface, reducing the Van der Waals force. Geckos' toes operate well below their full attractive capabilities for most of the time. This is because there is a great margin for error depending upon the roughness of the surface, and therefore the number of setae in contact with that surface. If a typical mature 70 g (2.5 oz) gecko had every one of its setae in contact with a surface, it would be capable of holding aloft a weight of 133 kg (290 lb):[10] each spatula can exert an adhesive force of 10 nanonewtons (0.0010 mgf).[6] Each seta can resist 10 milligrams-force (100 µN), which is equivalent to 10 atmospheres of pull.[4]. This means a gecko can support about eight times its weight hanging from just one toe on smooth glass