Why Geckos Are Sticky Without Being Sticky

The sticky physics that let geckos do what they do!
↓ More info and sources below ↓

Geckos can grip and climb almost anything. Walking up walls, hanging upside down… even from glass. It’s almost like they can defy gravity. How do they do it? The secret lies in nanotechnology. I’ll tell you how that works and how scientists are using this incredible gripping ability to inspire next-generation adhesives. Here's the secret behind a gecko's gravity defying grip.

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[besmart]

How cute is Vanilla Bean on a scale of 1 to 10? How awesome is this bit of biological physics on a scale of 1 to 10?
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart and let me know what you thought of the video!

[THOMAS-zwhe]

Now I wanna see a gecko walking on a non-stick pan

[slimshady]

I'm going to create a serum that has the ability grip of a gecko, speed of a cheetah, jump like a kangaroo and the strength of an elephant.

[markdhamba]

Today a Gecko was in my DB box and it short-circuited my power and tripped a 60Amp mcb. It appears it's an excellent conductor.

[cqodda]

Geckos: struggle for hundreds of millions of years to get this grip ability
Humans: gets inspired by geckos and replicates the same ability in just some years or less

[sairbear]

My friend just got a crested gecko and named him Scott :)

[otakuman]

Vanilla Bean 2020


For new mascot, and/or long time buddy of the show.
But for president might not be so bad either.

[sk.nadimislam]

Dude, I really thought they have suction pads like lizards. How did geckos evolve so differently than lizards when it comes to walking?

[jesusretes]

Hello, I was wondering where I can get the gecko like adhesive material.

[sanchezlatchman]

I wonder if this has anything to do with how ringing metal faces together works 🤔maybe sliding metal face across each other aligns the charges temporarily so they stick

[lpylonl]

I watched wild krats so I already knew the answer

[brina]

I'm confused. You said that the diopole happens every once in a while. Do they cause it by moving the bristeles to the right angle? Bc I guess they don't just wait for it to happen. Please explain me

[NewMessage]

If you spray paint "No Geckos Allowed" on the wall he's climbing, he'll also defy graffiti.

[lizzieluz]

You look so happy working with vanilla bean, you need to adopt her as your pet.

[Enigmanaut]

I have a question if you see this. You said that we can't make Gecko Gloves and Boots to Spider-Man up a wall, and that's fair enough... but could they make them for astronauts on the space station to help them move around? They wouldn't need to hold up the astronaut's whole mass, just help keep them from drifting.

[thiagomoreirapedroso]

"By the way, that was a kid's soccer ball I'm not some sort of weird giant"

I DONT BELIEVE YOU, MR. WEIRD GIANT

[herrheroin]

The fact that hundreds of millions of years of evolution has led to this creature being able to utilize forces down on a molecular level is absolutely mind boggling. Nature is amazing

[rashibhanot]

It's so awesome ya know how even the tiniest organisms have sooo much science behind them😃

[vvennela]

Gecko throughout the video: "Dude stop moving so much !!"

[yuricahere]

Gecko: *sticks on a surface*
Joe: "How are you doing that?"
Gecko: "It's nanotech. you like it?"