Locomotion in Biorobotic and Somatic Systems
News
02 September 2021
The gecko's most astounding maneuver has nothing to do with its sticky feet
The Asian flat-tailed geckos perform a remarkable, if ungainly, maneuver with their tails that allows them to land at high speeds on vertical surfaces like tree trunks.
(CNN) - Geckos would definitely medal in a contest for nature's best feet. The lizard's sticky toes, covered in tiny hairs, mean it can climb across ceilings in a fantastic feat of evolution. But scientists say the lizards' tails are just as extraordinary, with geckos performing a remarkable, if ungainly, maneuver that allows them to land securely and at ballistic speeds on vertical surfaces like tree trunks.
