eirikur hallgrimsson ehmadscientistcom via robot wisdom maybe uc folk know people httpwwweurekalertorgpub_releases200208lccsph082202php working lewis clark college university california berkeley university california santa barbara stanford university interdisciplinary team confirmed speculation geckos amazing climbing ability depends weak molecular attractive forces called van der waals forces rejected competing model based adhesion chemistry water molecules discovered geckos adhesive depends geometry surface chemistry words size shape tips gecko foot hairsnot made ofdetermine geckos stickiness verify experimental theoretical results gecko group used new data fabricate prototype synthetic foothair tips two different materials artificial setal tips stuck predicted notes autumn assistant professor biology lewis clark college portland ore initial prototypes open door manufacturing first biologically inspired dry adhesive microstructures widespread applications tue 27 aug 2002 012400 0400 gecko adhesion finally sussed