1. The gecko is a reptile with an amazing ability to climb smooth surfaces, including glass. Geckos appear to stick to smooth surfaces via Van der Waals interactions between septa on their feet and...

1.
The gecko is a reptile with an amazing ability to climb smooth surfaces, including glass. Geckos appear to stick to smooth surfaces via Van der Waals interactions between septa on their feet and the smooth surface. How is this method of stickiness advantageous over covalent interactions? Given that van der Waals forces are among the weakest molecular interactions, how can the gecko’s feet stick so effectively?