While some creatures can traverse vertical and overhanging surfaces with the aid of sticky substances or suction, you need to zoom down to a subatomic level to truly understand how geckos seem to defy gravity. This video from the science documentary series Deep Look takes a dive into the subatomic world to explain how geckos can stroll on almost any surface due to the millions of microscopic pads on their feet, which possess electrons that sync up with the surfaces they touch. The short also offers a brief look at a Stanford University project to develop nanomaterials inspired by the astounding adhesive power of gecko feet.
The key to geckos’ unrivalled climbing skills isn’t sticky feet. It’s subatomic
Video by KQED Science
Producer and Writer: Mimi Schiffman
Narrator and Writer: Laura Klivans
Cinematographer: John Cassidy
8 June 2023
videoBiology
What would it mean if we were able to ‘speak’ with whales?
65 minutes
videoCosmology
Are observers fundamental to physics, or simply byproducts of it?
10 minutes
videoBiology
For 3 billion years, life was unicellular. Why did it start to collaborate?
4 minutes
videoAstronomy
Visualisations explore what the deep future holds for our night sky
6 minutes
videoBiology
Dive deep into an egg cell to see how ageing reboots when a new life begins
2 minutes
videoMathematics
After centuries of trying, we’ve yet to arrive at a perfect way to map colour
20 minutes
videoMusic
A riveting audiovisual dive into what makes sounds harmonious, or not
28 minutes
videoHistory of science
How we came to know the size of the Universe – and what mysteries remain
26 minutes
videoOceans and water
A stunning visualisation explores the intricate circulatory system of our oceans
5 minutes