Photos: A surface inspired by geckos

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have concocted an array of microfibers, inspired by the gravity-defying gecko, that can keep objects from sliding down near-vertical surfaces.

Here, a scanning electron microscope image of microscopic hairs on a fiber array. The hairs bond with materials that come in contact with them and make a skid-resistant surface.

Photo by University of California, Berkeley