How do geckos defy gravity? - Eleanor Nelsen
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TEDEd Animation
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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.
A gecko’s skin is largely made of proteins, very long molecules which contain atoms of different electronegativities. Explain how van der Waals forces within proteins can cause them to fold into complex shapes.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Eleanor Nelsen
- Director Marie-Louise Højer Jensen
- Animator Svend Andreas Rothmann Bonde
- Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
- Narrator Pen-Pen Chen
