A real world Spiderman (minus the genetic modifications)

French man Alain Robert on his third attempt climbing Petronas towers. His previous two attempts both failed when he was arrested at the 60th floor.

This time he makes it all the way to the top and stands in the clouds - victorious!!

March 2011: Alain Robert scales the world's tallest building in Dubai - 2,717 feet in 6 hours

Spiderman Tech - How could Spiderman climb walls?

Have you wondered how Spiderman can climb walls?

Let's look at how spiders can climb walls.  Spiders have claws on all of their 8 legs, which enable them to grasp onto the walls or other surfaces.  But Spiderman seems to have tiny hairs that help him climb to the top of a tall building.  These hairs create electrostatic forces (Van der Waals forces)

Van Der Waals forces, causes the hairs on the spider's feet to interact with surface on the molecular level. These hairs are very similar to spikes on the boots that ice climbers use to climb glaciers.  Except that the hairs on the spider's feet interact with the actual atoms on the wall's surface which help to generate forces that hold them onto the wall.  

For a more in depth explanation of Van Der Waals forces, check out the Khan Academy.

Start the video below at 6:40   

Scientists are also working on molecular type of Velcro which could allow humans to walk on walls like spiders do.  With enough tiny hairs in a piece of fabric, this material could be used to help astronauts move around in space or move large pieces of equipment.  

0:00 through 1:10 in the following video

How do tarantulas walk on walls?

It is a question scientists have long wanted to answer, why is it that large and heavy spiders like tarantulas are able to anchor themselves to slippery vertical surfaces without falling?

A team from Newcastle University have found the answer and the discovery helps explain how spiders first evolved their silk-spinning abilities.

BBC News - Tarantulas Climbing Walls Using Silk Threads

SpiderBoy - Climbs walls with vacuums

A 13-year-old schoolboy has managed to climb walls using an invention he created for a class project.

In the video in the link below, Hibiki Kono, along with his teacher Angus Gent, explain how it works and the inspiration behind the idea.

Hibiki was inspired by the BBC's Bang Goes the Theory (the British version of Mythbusters)

Visit the BBC website to view his video here

Spider Man Climbing Skills