How do geckos defy gravity? - Eleanor Nelsen

View full lesson: ed.ted.com/less...
Geckos aren’t covered in adhesives or hooks or suction cups, and yet they can effortlessly scale vertical walls and hang from ceilings. What’s going on? Eleanor Nelsen explains how geckos’ phenomenal feet allow them to defy gravity.
Lesson by Eleanor Nelsen, animation by Marie-Louise Højer Jensen.

[@rudyperez9940]

"Suck it, Newton!" -Gecko

[@Alexandra-ip2by]

Rudy Perez like-like likedy-like

[@ProFannyty7910]

2:56 I don't know why, but that just sounds relaxing

[@liquidmist81]

It's called the Van der wall sounds

[@mrduke111]

@@liquidmist81 thats right

[@farahhammoud4477]

Loved this, perfect real life example which helped make Van Der Waals concept much easier to process. Thank you!

[@josephfox9221]

and yet they still have time to sell Insurance

[@aprilagustin6750]

Joseph Fox how do they do it?

[@anvutrong6870]

@@aprilagustin6750 i think he mean GEICO

[@andrews9615]

This wins the internet

[@hasanhaitham276]

And rule the government

[@NBA_ED_ITZ]

Hi

[@ShawnRavenfire]

Wow, I never knew any of this. I always just assumed they had suction cups like octopuses.

[@Czesnek]

+Shawn Ravenfire I thought they are working as velcro.

[@kennjt5015]

Shawn Ravenfire yeah it's what I thought too. I had no idea that it actually works than way. awesome!

[@ecogreen123]

XD

[@RaviKumar-zm7jv]

Ya i also think the same way

[@siddhantagrawal9926]

I also thought that, but then suddenly realised that for suction cups to work we require very smooth surface and smooth surface is not available in nature for for suction cups to be evolved.

[@manuelcalvo2983]

waiting for marvel to make Gekoman

[@JoshuaLotion]

Malaysia has made cicakman (lizard man)

[@revimfadli4666]

Manuel Calvo you mean b-squad spiderman?

[@nathanbiggs6821]

Manuel Calvo wouldnt that make him Spiderman's nemesis since lots of geckos eat invertebrates like spiders? :p

[@RevenantCheetosx]

Why have Geckoman when you can save with Geico?

[@well3034]

joshua lotion we don't care about Malaysia

[@ritujashah5418]

I’m so glad that this is animated. I would have been so freaked out otherwise. Seriously

[@SweetTeasgood]

that gecko must be high as fuck defying gravity, licking it's own eyes, multiplying it's own fingers

[@alphax1049]

Then devouring an entire human and still not have a huge bulge in their stomach...

[@DPJAkech]

+Alpha X lo

[@arm003]

LORD FELLAINI Xd

[@II_ukiyo]

SweetTea Hahahahhaha

[@grgtlvgrgtlv3409]

gecko lit af

[@justadude1255]

"Do you believe in gravity?" -Some Vampire

[@sm25265]

You have got to be kidding me... this ability of the geckos is really one of the coolest in the animal world. And of course, thanks for the amazing video!!

[@Anon-te6uq]

They can also change their skin color to camouflage and regenerate limbs.

[@iloveyoshi0xo]

That gecko animation was so cute. I kind of want to own a gecko now.

[@henriandco]

iloveyoshi0xo don't

[@J.E.L.2658]

They're fairly easy pets, but they still need care

[@oonmm]

You should get one, i own three of them! They don't really need that much care as someone said earlier, they're just reptiles. They are really quite some speciall beings, amazing to look at! Even though you can't really make them chase a laser pointer (as with my cat), you can make them act pretty fun if you point the laser straight into their eyes. :)

[@J.E.L.2658]

Niskinatorn You better be sarcastic about that last part.

[@oonmm]

Justin L What do you mean?

[@clarencedun3146]

Cheers to my fellow mates who didn't understand anything at 0:50 when the narrator started talking about electrons

[@zuffer1675]

That was me

[@rangeslider]

Such an awe inspiring video. This is why I visit TED-Ed. I get my mind blown and my passion ragingabout nature, life and the world and then I focus on my work.

[@bloodenjoyer]

That snake though

[@Kumergence]

he was like " dang, well theres a spider"

[@millbrick]

@@Kumergence and then "mmm its actually good nom"

[@lennyxd7197]

Gravity: **Exist** Geckos: *I'm about to end this guy's whole career*

[@aniketprasad7700]

fact about TED ED you can learn more when you see animation rather than just hearing the audio

[@bas_ee]

I guess thats because the more senses you use, the more information your brain receives

[@kamenidriss]

That's so awesome. And I find the geckos to be weirdly cute

[@A7iss]

mission impossible 3 , TED-ED Edition

[@chrisdeglasias]

This Gecko looks so chill to hit 2 or 3 joints with.

[@Recon777x]

I love this video. I knew all this already but this is the first video I've seen which is able to explain it to non-science people. ^_^

[@coby.alvarez]

Great job! I love the animation that is in this video. Loving the comedy as well. Hahaha

[@unluckypatcher8423]

Geckos:*exists* Isaac newton:Am i a joke to you?

[@sarac3089]

Haha!

[@membosanimations]

That actually made me chuckle. XD Amazing animation and explanation!

[@aprilagustin6750]

You'd think when you touch a geckos toes they would stick to your finger but no, their feet are sooooo soft.

[@FrogsofaFeather]

Gravity: *exists* Gecko, going full Elphaba: "I'm through accepting limit, 'cause someone says they're so"

[@black_pantheon]

I don't know why but I loved this animation more than normal

[@alberteinsteinthejew]

This is what I wanna know for a long time, since there are dozens of geckos in my house!

[@Charlie-ov1bj]

I love these animations more than the topics

[@MythicBricks]

I legitimately got a Geico insurance ad before this video

[@sandiseferp352]

3:42 "you can't stop me LOOK AT ME GO!"

[@geck0m]

this video explains it so clearly and with good animation i love it

[@MemeDealer-ls6pf]

Nice tophat

[@Baelor-Breakspear]

The sodium and chloride atoms looked so happy to be stuck together. That was nice.

[@SuperStargazer666]

Incredible, I was thought Van Der Waal forces were very weak, and yet they are strong enough to stick together two objects that are both large enough to see.

[@CarmenLC]

with like a billion of them yea

[@mpc7440]

they are weak forces, but when you have billions of them, they can become quite strong.

[@wonjaechoi4714]

Not strong enough mpc7440 Wen an object double in height, well mentaining the same shape, and density, the serif’s aria increase 4 times well the mass increase eight Times

[@WildlifeGuy]

Great video

[@iYakuza11]

Wonderful explanation 👏 thank you

[@shalmaleekapse8113]

Amazing! Geckos are like living-CCTVs. Cool! Thanks for posting.

[@Abhinay_Limbu]

That kiss at 2:12 tho XD

[@netuzer5895]

3:47 "I am SUCTION CUP MAN!!! LOOK AT ME GO!!!".

[@shaun_rambaran]

The animation was so cute!

[@udaykiranpanjala2710]

*SLOTHS ARE DEADLY*

[@pd28cat]

As I was watching this my friendly bedroom gecko came to watch as well.

[@yathishkarkera5419]

Thanks for the video!!!great to know the science behind it..

[@__RD14533]

Evolution is absolutely amazing! :D

[@AllosaurusJP3]

indeed it is

[@Broski682]

HAHAHAHA THAT PART WHEN THE SNAKE ATE THE SPIDER

[@xmaxfactorx]

Umm so this mean all we need is a spider web shooter glove and we will be able to be spiderman :'D?

[@cupley8242]

+Sm00th TV stronger arms helps because the weak arms breaks

[@sid98geek]

My thoughts exactly. Spider-Man, at least one whose powers come from gadgets like an artificial pair of Gecko-ish gloves, is not fictitious anymore.

[@sid98geek]

Hokina Matara Oh yes. Seeing MatPat's video on how Link's hookshot is dangerous to him.

[@sarac3089]

That would be awesome

[@MetzilVenus]

Me before the video: they have sticky feet or something on them Watches the video: oh... So its feet are electric? Or like a robot? Oh no wait, im right, it has loads of little sticky toes

[@ShaudaySmith]

that snake at the end when it goes for the spider... too funny! "i gotchya geck-oh.... oh well." ::noms a spider::

[@buidinhba5]

Thank you, Easy to understand explanation with animation

[@ashut_vats]

Am I the only one who is still shocked that the geckos possess such deep knowledge of forces?

[@md.ayaanahmed5152]

Inside you, a billion miracles are going on, without you having any knowledge of it ;-)

[@wonjaechoi4714]

The geckos doesn’t know Van der walls fors, god knows

[@TheBlueScarecrow]

Eels can make their own electricity; it's chi!

[@BondJFK]

​@@TheBlueScarecrow An eel names Nickholas Tesla

[@sarac3089]

"Spatulae." I guess geckos use them to flip pancakes. ;-)

[@H4XEM]

Dat ending doe :O

[@webby3109]

Woah!!! That was the most awesome scientific thing I’ve ever heard!!!

[@tha1ne]

Can we make gloves that take advantage of the same mechanisms under a gecko's foot?

[@judeadams7397]

they have something like that I call of duty black ops 2... wait nine years.

[@Maze160]

university of kiel in germany is creating a tape that works a like the gekkos feet... so yes, in a few years there might be gloves like the ones you said

[@hackhack3088]

Gecko lizard

[@raffimolero64]

3:37

[@aparnabiyani6800]

3:56 It reminds me of the movie 'Mission Impossible:Ghost Trouble' 😂

[@NoOr-bq6ju]

Nice explanation

[@keiroty7187]

Geckos are amazing

[@renadnasr7091]

whenever you ask any question, you will find it here. I LITERALLY GIND ANY THING THAT POPS IN MY MIND HERE!

[@lucaslayton3974]

Lol, I literally had an exam partially about the gecko's adhesive abilities in a master course.

[@fraist1]

better late than never?

[@birendrakumarsingh2148]

I enjoyed very much Ted is a had working organisation

[@kbvanillayoutization]

OMG! Geckos are so cute! Especially when they lick their eyeballs :D

[@aprilagustin6750]

I am Secretly a Cat their eyes kinda sink in then come back to normal after.

[@lumeme9352]

Nobody: Geckos: *_I mlem my eyeball_*

[@iceypumpkinhead]

3:36 Lol Improvise,adapt,overcome

[@deannarobles2700]

Great! Now I don't have to fear falling off anymore!

[@jel4133]

thank you. it really helped me a lot. :)

[@T1MlgGhost]

I used to be a gecko... then i took an arrow to the knee

[@wiertara1337]

"I used to be..."*

[@T1MlgGhost]

Wojtek Kiraga well this is awkward.... xD

[@lytadaphoenixxd6680]

lol! i get it!!!!!!

[@wiertara1337]

aPreZ You had written "I was..."

[@Jakromha]

Why does everybody forget the "like you"?

[@Andrew-ij5mi]

That's awesome!

[@rwired]

2:12 is confusing. The picture looks to be depicting covalent atomic bonding in N2, but the text says Van Der Waals. 2:10 more accurately depicts the molecular bonding between N2 molecules (in say liquid nitrogen).

[@norhanhany3316]

This part confused me too 😅👍

[@jayesh6687]

In old times warriors uses gecko to scale large walls of fortress or to seige in high placed castles or post.

[@Linux4Ever2011]

I wonder about the opposite case, that if there is an animal make use of positive&positive or negative&negative molecules to jump or prevent crash if it falls on ground.

[@dewinthemorning]

The wonderful adaptations of organisms that we discover! And we can even make use of that knowledge. Very interesting book I read lately, and it also described amazing adaptations in living nature - "The Pony Fish's Glow" by George C. Williams.

[@simoneric]

This went from Biology to Physics to Chemistry and back to Biology.. Also Evolution is super smart. It designed all that? Awesome!

[@nickharding3402]

"It". LOL.

[@wonjaechoi4714]

God is smart

[@aleale8320]

In my professional opinion, geckos are magical.

[@roberto_guedes]

Very, very nice.

[@Minecraftiano1204]

Don't forget to add that you could save 15% or more on car insurance.

[@YahyeAli123]

Fun fact: they also make you save 15% on car insurance

[@silvereaglestudios]

I have my own superhero universe that I made (which is what my channel's about) and one of the heroes is Gecko; who is basically Spider-Man but without the web shooters.

[@JoseLopez-hh6fp]

And geckos have no idea how crazy engineered they are.

[@pleasant_gazelle]

Better than the chem lectures

[@sidikikone6864]

Animation is fire lol

[@reiokimura6519]

So the guy would fell at the 26th floor?

[@meeeeeeeeeeeee882]

***** February 31, 2011111 of course.... do you live under a rock?

[@josephfox9221]

***** since the Smurfs went through industrialization

[@reiokimura6519]

***** Ok, I heard it wrongly.. let me changed to feet.. So he would fell at 26 feet? lol

[@XXXIMSEXYNIKNOWITXXX]

Reio Kimura let it go

[@Applest2oApples]

+Reio Kimura If you can go 25 feet you can go an infinite number of feet, it's probably just limited by safety for portability (maybe it needs a complimentary rig that's anchored)

[@yeetmeharderdaddy3356]

"gravity is what keeps you on the ground and *what causes objects to fall.*" Geckos: _you ain't the boss of me, watch me btch._

[@szyski3001]

2 BILLION that's amazing

[@Xeno_Bardock]

If however, the nucleus of atom is off-centered, then you get a much weaker force than van der waals that manifests as dipole gravity on a macro-scale. It is the charge of the plasma core of planet that causes nucleus of atoms to become off-centered. Stars, planets and moons are all charged. Neutral things on surface of planet are attracted to both poles of gravity like iron filings are to a magnet.

[@mrtzak]

Currently watching this from my lounge because a gecko fell on my bed.

[@essaathar]

what's the element in the setae or spatuale?

[@francomeier6280]

Duende puedo encontrar esta charla en español?

[@lionobama1397]

i watch this at 3 aim tired just nodding as if i understand anything

[@12345skaterguy]

was I the only one thinking we could make an invention out of this before it even got to that part?

[@koushlyaburma8417]

human also can get such power

[@phantompaw2773]

You broke the laws of PHYSICS AND GRAVITY!!!!

[@drsuriortho9200]

Superb 👍🏻

[@bolt499]

Oh Chemistry! I love you but it's too late to know that😢

[@tilak09]

Does that mean that they can't climb on a vertical and a good enough insulating material?

[@wonjaechoi4714]

Yes they can’t clime tethlon cotid wall

[@michaelschuler7397]

How do the electrons retain their energy to move and spend energy in pull or attraction for ever

[@seemi7075]

Me: KZbin: DO YOU WANNA KNOW HOW GECKOS STICK TO WALLS? 😏

[@mieldasma8326]

me:no

[@jvlsgames4446]

Does this mean that if I take a wire and plug it into the wall theoretically it should stick to the wall?

[@EveryoneHarmonyPeace]

Once I saw a gecko dropped on the floor with a "BANG" sound and died. Well, they do made mistakes sometime.

[@jadewolf3094]

poor guy

[@TheSpyGuy384]

EveryoneHarmonyPeace Ouch

[@laurnborne3830]

SuctionCup Man

[@somerandoasshatontheintern8337]

3:46 instantly thought of ethan hunt.

[@nyctus2025]

When I watch videos like these, all I hear is Mother nature/Universe telling us how it's creations work.

[@abdeldjalilselama2490]

Geckos are simply cool