![]() The ability of geckos to cling to a wide variety of surfaces ( Fig. 1A–E) has long held the fascination of scientists and casual observers, especially in tropical environments, the native habitats of many of the world's >1000 species of gecko. It is now 15 years since Autumn and colleagues manipulated the adhesion of isolated gecko setae (see Glossary) ( Autumn et al., 2000), unleashing a torrent of studies on the design and function of gecko-inspired synthetic adhesives. ![]() Here, we discuss our perspective on some of the gaps in understanding that still remain these gaps in our knowledge should stimulate us to turn to deeper study of the way in which free-ranging geckos stick to the variety of surfaces found in their natural environments and to a more complete analysis of the materials composing the gecko toe pads. Moreover, processes for the production of inexpensive and scalable products are still not clearly in view. However, after 15 years, no synthetic mimic can yet perform as well as a gecko and simultaneously meet of all the criteria listed above. Important progress has been made, and the basic mechanics of how ‘hairy’ adhesives work have been faithfully reproduced, advancing theory in surface science and portending diverse practical applications. The natural clinging ability of geckos has inspired hundreds of studies seeking design principles that could be applied to creating synthetic adhesives with the same performance capabilities as the gecko: adhesives that use no glue, are self-cleaning and reusable, and are insensitive to a wide range of surface chemistries and roughness.
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