They want to discover...
They want to discover how millions of tiny hairs on the reptiles" feet help them cling to smooth, almost-vertical surfaces without slipping. And the US boffins are making similar materials to give tyres and road surfaces fantastic grip.
Experts at the University of California, Berkeley, have already manufactured a nylon-like material and packed it with microscopic fibres that stop objects from sliding. It is also claimed to keep cooler, and last longer,than rubber.