Uploaded May 2017 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
By Trevor Cook, Regan Ellis, Richard Ohr, Sabrina Stenberg.
Gecko’s feet are covered in hundreds of tiny “hairs”, which is the key to their sticking ability. This works by using Van Der Waal’s forces, which are usually very weak. The difference is that having hundreds of hairs drastically increases the surface area on the gecko’s feet, which also drastically increases the overall force of adhesion giving it a firm hold on most materials. Not only do the adhesive properties of their feet allow them to defy gravity and climb walls, but they can also instantaneously terminate their grip and drop from a surface without leaving any trace of sticky residue. From Velcro to command strips, the concept of adhesion has been a key focus in numerous inventions for decades. However, the recent fascination and closer observation of adhesion in nature has led to a growth in research of the science of gecko feet. Inventions such as military gloves (used to scale buildings in cities), stitch-free sealing of wounds, and gecko-inspired adhesive materials can hold 700 pounds with just an index card-sized piece and can be easily removed without residue; all attempt to harness gecko feet’s viscous properties.
In our video, we aim to explore the properties behind gecko feet that make them so sticky, delving into its ability to stick and unstick in an instant, to hold hundreds of times its weight, and leave no residue, among other impressive, intricate properties. Additionally, we will look into the history of adhesive inventions and the creations of the future modeled after the material science of gecko feet and how they compare. Our video will analyze the process, structure, and properties of gecko-inspired adhesives and the fast-growing field of artificial mimicry of gecko feet.
Sources used for research and media:
youtube.com/watch?v=fMhmlis4el0
youtube.com/watch?v=1m4-eucOPPQ
http://news.mit.edu/2008/adhesive-0218
https://web.stanford.edu/group/mota/education/Physics%2087N%20Final%20Projects/Group%20Gamma/gecko.htm
youtube.com/watch?v=uEYcY7WfDTY
youtube.com/watch?v=JnBkbaFsZOY
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/4e/36/88/4e3688ce8b0f4613dd2668309a7e638f.jpg
researchgate.net/profile/Markus_Heim/publication/236237111/figure/fig2/AS:299349125943300@1448381801620/Fig-4-Gecko-toes-show-a-lamellar-structure-The-lamellae-consist-of-keratinaceous.png
nisenet.org/sites/default/files/images/catalog/12596/gecko_foot_toe_nise.jpg
scienceythrowbacks.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/080215-gecko-feet-528p-grid-6x2.jpg
https://web.stanford.edu/group/mota/education/Physics%2087N%20Final%20Projects/Group%20Gamma/gecko.htm#_edn3
ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/icp.jsp?arnumber=4135238&tag=1
dowcorning.com/content/discover/discoverchem/properties.aspx
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/xtal/nats101/s04-18.html
sci-news.com/othersciences/physicalchemistry/wave-like-nature-van-der-waals-forces-03717.html
rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/366/1870/1575
ouchmath.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/gecko-adhesion-and-nanotechnology
blog.thesietch.org/2008/10/15/scientists-copy-gecko-feet-for-super-glue
christinedemerchant.com/carboncharacteristics.html
dowcorning.com/content/discover/discoverchem/properties.aspx
polymerdatabase.com/polymer%20classes/Polyurethane%20type.html
dupont.com/content/dam/dupont/products-and-services/fabrics-fibers-and-nonwovens/fibers/documents/DPT_Kevlar_Technical_Guide_Revised.pdf
https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/super-adhesive-geckskin-developed-umass-amherst-scientists-among-cnn-moneys-top-science
https://geckskin.umass.edu/images/23
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/neSyZDs79tE/hqdefault.jpg
youtube.com/watch?v=neSyZDs79tE
scienceclarified.com/A-Al/Adhesives.html
sorbothane.com/the-difference-between-elastic-materials-and-viscoelastic-materials.aspx
https://robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu/~ronf/Gecko/gecko-compare.html
youtube.com/watch?v=-cloa9MnnII
youtube.com/watch?v=JnBkbaFsZOY
youtube.com/watch?v=uEYcY7WfDTY
youtube.com/watch?v=NWH624jPW0w
youtube.com/watch?v=uhfXbSSrabw
By Trevor Cook, Regan Ellis, Richard Ohr, Sabrina Stenberg.
Gecko’s feet are covered in hundreds of tiny “hairs”, which is the key to their sticking ability. This works by using Van Der Waal’s forces, which are usually very weak. The difference is that having hundreds of hairs drastically increases the surface area on the gecko’s feet, which also drastically increases the overall force of adhesion giving it a firm hold on most materials. Not only do the adhesive properties of their feet allow them to defy gravity and climb walls, but they can also instantaneously terminate their grip and drop from a surface without leaving any trace of sticky residue. From Velcro to command strips, the concept of adhesion has been a key focus in numerous inventions for decades. However, the recent fascination and closer observation of adhesion in nature has led to a growth in research of the science of gecko feet. Inventions such as military gloves (used to scale buildings in cities), stitch-free sealing of wounds, and gecko-inspired adhesive materials can hold 700 pounds with just an index card-sized piece and can be easily removed without residue; all attempt to harness gecko feet’s viscous properties.
In our video, we aim to explore the properties behind gecko feet that make them so sticky, delving into its ability to stick and unstick in an instant, to hold hundreds of times its weight, and leave no residue, among other impressive, intricate properties. Additionally, we will look into the history of adhesive inventions and the creations of the future modeled after the material science of gecko feet and how they compare. Our video will analyze the process, structure, and properties of gecko-inspired adhesives and the fast-growing field of artificial mimicry of gecko feet.
Sources used for research and media:
youtube.com/watch?v=fMhmlis4el0
youtube.com/watch?v=1m4-eucOPPQ
http://news.mit.edu/2008/adhesive-0218
https://web.stanford.edu/group/mota/education/Physics%2087N%20Final%20Projects/Group%20Gamma/gecko.htm
youtube.com/watch?v=uEYcY7WfDTY
youtube.com/watch?v=JnBkbaFsZOY
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/4e/36/88/4e3688ce8b0f4613dd2668309a7e638f.jpg
researchgate.net/profile/Markus_Heim/publication/236237111/figure/fig2/AS:299349125943300@1448381801620/Fig-4-Gecko-toes-show-a-lamellar-structure-The-lamellae-consist-of-keratinaceous.png
nisenet.org/sites/default/files/images/catalog/12596/gecko_foot_toe_nise.jpg
scienceythrowbacks.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/080215-gecko-feet-528p-grid-6x2.jpg
https://web.stanford.edu/group/mota/education/Physics%2087N%20Final%20Projects/Group%20Gamma/gecko.htm#_edn3
ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/icp.jsp?arnumber=4135238&tag=1
dowcorning.com/content/discover/discoverchem/properties.aspx
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/xtal/nats101/s04-18.html
sci-news.com/othersciences/physicalchemistry/wave-like-nature-van-der-waals-forces-03717.html
rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/366/1870/1575
ouchmath.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/gecko-adhesion-and-nanotechnology
blog.thesietch.org/2008/10/15/scientists-copy-gecko-feet-for-super-glue
christinedemerchant.com/carboncharacteristics.html
dowcorning.com/content/discover/discoverchem/properties.aspx
polymerdatabase.com/polymer%20classes/Polyurethane%20type.html
dupont.com/content/dam/dupont/products-and-services/fabrics-fibers-and-nonwovens/fibers/documents/DPT_Kevlar_Technical_Guide_Revised.pdf
https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/super-adhesive-geckskin-developed-umass-amherst-scientists-among-cnn-moneys-top-science
https://geckskin.umass.edu/images/23
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/neSyZDs79tE/hqdefault.jpg
youtube.com/watch?v=neSyZDs79tE
scienceclarified.com/A-Al/Adhesives.html
sorbothane.com/the-difference-between-elastic-materials-and-viscoelastic-materials.aspx
https://robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu/~ronf/Gecko/gecko-compare.html
youtube.com/watch?v=-cloa9MnnII
youtube.com/watch?v=JnBkbaFsZOY
youtube.com/watch?v=uEYcY7WfDTY
youtube.com/watch?v=NWH624jPW0w
youtube.com/watch?v=uhfXbSSrabw
