Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn something super cool about nature. Have you ever seen a gecko climb up a wall and wondered how they do it? Well, let me tell you all about it!
Kamri has a pet gecko named Apollo. Apollo can climb on almost anything, but he doesn’t have claws or sticky slime like some other animals. So, how does he do it? Let’s find out!
Kamri asked an expert named David Gruber to help explain how geckos climb. David showed Kamri some amazing photos of gecko feet. It turns out that each gecko toe has millions of tiny hair-like structures called setae.
Setae are super thin, even thinner than a human hair. These tiny hairs help geckos stick to surfaces. When Apollo takes a step, the setae flatten to make close contact with the wall. This creates a larger area for sticking!
At the tip of each setae, there are hundreds of split ends. While split ends might not be great for our hair, geckos love them! These split ends fan out and grip the surface. Even though one hair isn’t very strong, all of them together help Apollo cling to walls and move wherever he wants.
Kamri noticed that Apollo was heading under the radiator. Geckos are always on the move, exploring their surroundings. Now you know the secret behind their amazing climbing skills!
If you want to learn more cool things about how stuff works, check out other episodes and subscribe to Nat Geo Kids. See you next time!
