The weak forces, multiplied across thousands of setae, are then sufficient to hold the lizard's weight.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS

The secret of the gecko's success lies in the tiny hair-like structures, called setae, that cover its feet.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS

Normally such forces are negligible, but the setae, with their spatula-like tips, maximise the surface area in contact with the wall.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS

Both the British and American teams have shown that the intricate design of these microscopic setae can be reproduced using synthetic materials.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS

These van der Waals forces, as they are known, which exist between any two adjacent objects, arise between the setae and the wall to which the gecko is clinging.

ECONOMIST: REPORTS