Why do lizards not fall from walls?

Have you ever caught a lizard effortlessly climbing up a wall or hanging upside down on your ceiling? It's one of those odd but fascinating natural phenomena that just makes you stop and stare. But what exactly gives these little creatures the ability to defy gravity and move on surfaces that seem impossible to stick to? It’s not magic; it’s science– and it’s fascinating!

Lizards are known for their wall-climbing skills, and the secret lies in the microscopic structures on their feet. These tiny adaptations give them an incredible grip, letting them move smoothly across walls, ceilings, and even glass. But here’s the twist– this remarkable ability disappears after they die. Why? Let’s see.


Lizards have tiny, hair-like structures on the bottoms of their feet called setae. But it gets even more interesting– each of these setae is covered with hundreds of even smaller hairs known as spatulae, as per a report presented by livescience(dot)com. These microscopic structures increase the surface area of their feet, helping them stick to walls and ceilings with ease. It’s this unique design that gives lizards their super-strong grip. When they climb, the spatulae make close contact with the surface, allowing them to hold on firmly without slipping.

When the spatulae on a lizard’s feet touch the surface, they create a force called the Van der Waals force, as per a report presented by newscientist(dot)com. This force is a weak attraction between molecules that happens at a very tiny scale– so small that we can’t even see it. While it’s not as powerful as gravity, these forces are enough to help the lizard stay attached to vertical surfaces.


Now, here’s a question that might be on your mind: If lizards can cling to surfaces so easily when they’re alive, why do they fall when they die? The answer lies in how their bodies function. While alive, lizards can control the muscles in their feet, which allows them to create those Van der Waals forces, as per a report presented by ABP News. But when they pass away, their muscle function stops. Without this control, the spatulae on their feet lose the ability to grip effectively, causing the lizard to lose its hold and fall. It’s not just the microscopic hairs on their feet that make lizards expert climbers.


They also have a unique way of walking that helps them stay firmly connected to whatever surface they’re on. Their movements are carefully coordinated to keep their feet in constant contact, making sure that grip is never lost. Lizards are a perfect example of how evolution has fine-tuned creatures for survival in ways we can’t even imagine.