It has inspired scientists and superhero fans alike with its ability to scale walls and zip across ceilings. Now the gecko has been put to shame by a new material made out of carbon nanotubes. The lizard is able to stick fast to a surface, but then detach itself easily, thanks to countless microscopic setae - hairs that cover its toes and branch off into even tinier hairs, called spatulae. Each hair bonds weakly with the molecules on the surface it is in contact with, through van der Waals forces. But the total force exerted by the huge number of hairs pressed onto a surface add up to a significant bond, giving geckos their renowned ability.
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