Gecko Feet: Nature's Super Glue
The Science
A gecko has 4-5 toes. On each toe are hair-like strands, setae. The end of every seta breaks down into hundreds of more parts, called spatulae. These spatulae can get really flat on a surface, creating the Van der Waals force (a short-time, adhesion that occurs when molecules come really close together). This tiny adhesive force produced by each spatulae adds up to create the force geckos use to climb slippery surfaces. Today, engineers are using the science behind spatulae and setae to create robots which can climb vertical surfaces and function in zero-gravity.
Why I Chose It
This gecko, the Oriental Garden Lizard, had a brightly colored head making it attractive. Watching such a heavy creature easily climb a thin branch was really interesting.
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Judges' Choice Award
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People's Choice Award
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