Gecko: animal with incredible abilities

The geckobelonging to the family of GeckonidsIt is one of the reptiles most famous and fascinating in the world. The quirks are many, starting with the view. The eyes of a night gecko (a particular species) are 350 times more powerful in the dark than those of humans.

Not to mention their innate ability to change color of the skin based on their environment and even the conditions in which they live. Without considering that the females of the geckos often give birth by parthenogenesis, that is, without the help of the males. It is this unique property that has made it possible, among other things, to spread this reptile on numerous islands.

However, the unique feature of geckos is their ability toto climb on smooth walls and surfaces, a real secret that seemed inexplicable. At least until recently, when scientists revealed the “trick” thanks to a very small device.

The Incredible Secret of the Gecko

It is not a particular gooey or tacky substance that allows geckos to stick to walls and walls, as has always been thought. The secret of the geckos lies in a real fusion of the legs with the surface on which they travel, perfectly adhering.

This is possible thanks to the more than 2 million macroscopic hairs that cover the legs, essential for creating friction and adhesion to the walls. Just some kind of attraction between the molecules of the hair and those of the wall creates the insoluble bond at the base of the phenomenon.

The first to discover this exceptional balance of forces was the Dutch physicist Johannes Diderick Van der Waals, whose attractions They are forces that attract each other at a long distance and repel each other at a short distance.

While such forces are relatively weak, they are infinitely stronger than what the gecko would need, ensuring its safe and unquestionable security. adhesion to the walls