There was some interesting research on how gecko feet stick to non-porous surfaces and they found, based on microscopy and biochemical tests, that they hold on because gecko feet are covered with nano-hairs that hold (for people who are interested, by Van der waals forces http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=sticky-situation-gecko-toe-adhesive) and scientists were able to reproduce the structure to make self-cleaning tapes.
Unfortunately, these gecko-tech-based don’t hold onto wet surfaces. So they then figured out how mussels are able to cling to the sides of even wet surfaces and combined the mussel glue (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/10/071018-mussels-stick.html) with gecko-tape and developed a tape that holds onto anything, even when wet.
Clay, got any of that stuff? 😉
