Sticky Science: The Force Be With You with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Gecko Feet

Gecko feet are a marvel of nature, featuring a hierarchical structure that allows them to cling to surfaces with ease. Laurie Winkless explains that the gecko's feet are covered in a dense forest of hairs called setae, which increase the surface area and enable intimate contact with surfaces at the molecular level 1. This intricate design allows geckos to climb on various surfaces, including glass, by utilizing van der Waals forces, which are only activated when atoms are close enough together 1.

The gecko foot is what we call a hierarchical structure. So what that really means is that it has features of different sizes that combine together to give the gecko its climbing superpower.

--- Laurie Winkless

This unique ability is further enhanced by the gecko's ability to turn its stickiness on and off by simply adjusting the angle of its toes 2.

   

Gecko Tech

Inspired by the gecko's adhesive prowess, scientists have developed gecko tape, a silicone-based material that mimics the gecko's ability to stick to surfaces. Laurie Winkless describes how this tape, patterned with tiny wedges similar to the setae on gecko feet, can be used in space and on Earth to grip objects without the need for suction or electricity 3. This innovation has been tested on the International Space Station and is being used in robotic systems to handle delicate items 4.

Gecko tape kind of came out of lab at Stanford. And what they've done is they know that it's not possible. We do not have the ability to recreate the level of complex structure that a gecko has naturally evolved on its toes.

--- Laurie Winkless

The hydrophobic nature of both gecko feet and gecko tape allows them to repel water, maintaining their adhesive properties even in wet conditions 5.