Gecko tech to create future super-adhesives

Nanotechnology isn't just for researchers and scientists… no, it's also something that geckos came up with long before we got our brains wrapped around the idea. I'm no scientist, so we'll let an actual doctor take it from here:

"Each gecko foot has millions of microscopic hairs (called setae) each with a microscopic mushroom shaped cap on the end, less than one-thousandth of a millimeter across called a spatula… The cumulative attractive force, called van der Waals force between hair, mushroom, and surface sticks the little guy down. There are almost 500,000 Setae on each foot, and each of these tipped with between 100 and 1,000 spatulae. If a gecko stuck every single little sticker to a surface at one time it could hold up a 250 lb man."

Scientists are working to create a "synthetic gecko" so they can get the same amazing adhesive qualities that the little lizards enjoy via nature. The technology could be used for things like super-adhesive bandages that will stay on unless pulled at a specific angle. Pretty sweet stuff. And here I thought all geckos were good for was creating annoying insurance commercials.

Via Doc in the Machine