Hairy Adhesives

Ant writes "Science Daily has an article about scientists having found that the way spiders stick to ceilings could be the key to making Post-it notes that don't fall off even when they are wet. A team from Germany and Switzerland have made the first detailed examinations of a jumping spider's 'foot' and have discovered that a molecular force sticks the spider to almost anything. The force is so strong that these spiders could carry over 170 times their own body weight while standing on the ceiling. The research is published today (Monday 19 April 2004) in the Institute of Physics journal Smart Materials and Structures." Other researchers are actually exploring ways to make a sort of non-glue adhesive tape.

Comments

One thing that's never been clear

[Smidge204]

There's been a few stories about how spiders and geckos and the like have "super atomic grip" that allows them to cling to just about any surface. What always kinda throws me is, if these critters can theoretically hold many times their own body weight with the adhesive force of their feet... how do they manage to walk?

Finally, the article gives a rational answer! Huzzah for science!
=Smidge=

clues from nature

[sharkdba]

...the way spiders stick to ceilings could be the key to making Post-it notes that don't fall off even when they are wet.

Taking clues from nature in various engineering projects is excellent idea, since nature is simply so much more advanced in a lot of examples. Bats' radar system comes to mind, I believe this was studied as well.