A gecko flips under a ledge.POLYPEDAL LAB, JEAN-MICHEL MONGEAU, ARDIAN JUSUFI AND PAULINE JENNINGS
Quick escape
Cockroaches and geckos can’t always outrun an angry homeowner, but researchers have discovered they do have a few ninja-like tricks to disappear in the heat of danger. Racing towards the end of a ledge, cockroaches and geckos don’t slow down, but anchor themselves to the edge and swing underneath at high speed, according to a study published on June 6 in PLoS ONE. Cockroaches use claws on their back legs to facilitate the pendulum swing; flat-tailed house geckos make added use of the sticky hairs on their feet that allow them to climb up walls and windows.
The team at the University of California, Berkeley, discovered the trick using high-speed cameras to slow down the speedy critters, who are thought to be more ...
