0:00:02 > 0:00:04Have you ever wondered what it would be like
0:00:04 > 0:00:06if humans had the super skills of animals?
0:00:06 > 0:00:10But who would be crazy enough to try and fly like a falcon,
0:00:10 > 0:00:11grip like the gorilla
0:00:11 > 0:00:13and swim like a shark?
0:00:13 > 0:00:14This guy.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I'm Andy Torbet and this is Beyond Bionic,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21the show where I try and match the skills of some of nature's most
0:00:21 > 0:00:23incredible animals.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Action is Andy's middle name.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27I mean, it's Thomas, but...
0:00:27 > 0:00:32And now, I'm using my super skills to take on nature's superheroes
0:00:32 > 0:00:35in the biggest challenge of my life.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37And don't worry, I'm hanging around
0:00:37 > 0:00:40to make sure he doesn't do anything too extreme.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Whoa!
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Today, the Beyond Bionic team set me an impossible challenge
0:00:46 > 0:00:49as I attempt to climb this sheer glass building
0:00:49 > 0:00:51using just my hands and feet.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Just getting ready to climb.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Well, you do love to go where no-one's gone before.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58It's time to go Beyond Bionic.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59What could possibly go wrong?
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Today, I'm up against a real superhero of the natural world
0:01:28 > 0:01:31and one of the best climbers in the animal kingdom.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32Let me guess, it's a squirrel?
0:01:32 > 0:01:33BUZZER
0:01:33 > 0:01:35No, no, a tree-climbing leopard?
0:01:35 > 0:01:36BUZZER
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Aw, it's got to be a monkey, right?
0:01:38 > 0:01:39BUZZER
0:01:42 > 0:01:45This animal can climb just about anything,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48thanks to its amazing ability to stick to any surface.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49So it's a spider?
0:01:49 > 0:01:50BUZZER Oh, I got it!
0:01:50 > 0:01:52A stick insect?
0:01:52 > 0:01:53BUZZER
0:01:53 > 0:01:56I'm talking about this little fellow.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58The gecko.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Oh, yeah, I knew that.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Check out his super cool eyebrows.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Now, I'm not a bad climber.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I've climbed all over the world,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10up mountains, waterfalls, even icebergs.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12But a gecko can climb vertically...
0:02:14 > 0:02:15Look at him go!
0:02:16 > 0:02:18..horizontally...
0:02:18 > 0:02:19He's making this look easy!
0:02:21 > 0:02:22..even upside down.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Yep, that's not so easy.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28OK, now I'm impressed.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Shame you haven't got sticky feet, Andy!
0:02:31 > 0:02:35And they can do all this at speed, with almost no effort.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And that's because of their specially-designed feet
0:02:39 > 0:02:40and toepads.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43The gecko really is a master climber,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45so I'm really going to have to go Beyond Bionic
0:02:45 > 0:02:48if I'm going to match the climbing skills of this little fella.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Geckos aren't just super-skilled climbers.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01These rad reptiles are pretty amazing in other ways, too.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02Most geckos don't have eyelids
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and use their tongue to keep their eyes clean and moist.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07You mean they can lick their own eyeballs?
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Eww! That is totally gross
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and I'm jealous and I wish I could.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Geckos are masters of disguise and can blend in to be
0:03:15 > 0:03:17completely camouflaged.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Special cells in gecko skin
0:03:19 > 0:03:22allow them to change colour by sensing their surroundings.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Now that is clever. Who needs clothes?
0:03:24 > 0:03:27And their skin provides a tasty snack.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Geckos regularly shed their skin and then gobble it up as it's packed
0:03:31 > 0:03:35with nutrients and stops predators picking up clues to where they are.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37"Mm, skin crisps," said no-one ever.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45The Beyond Bionic team have given me the challenge of matching the gecko
0:03:45 > 0:03:51sticky step for sticky step up this ten-storey, 52 metre-high building.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Oh, that's hilarious. You guys have really excelled yourselves!
0:03:55 > 0:03:57And they don't like to make things easy.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59This building has a central column
0:03:59 > 0:04:02made out of 400 panes of super-smooth glass
0:04:02 > 0:04:06which is impossible for a human being to climb.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09A real Mission: Impossible. I love it.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The smooth surface means that there's nothing for my hands
0:04:12 > 0:04:13and feet to hold on to.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15But that wouldn't bother a gecko.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18They could run straight up here, no problem.
0:04:18 > 0:04:19Easy peasy.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23So, to make the impossible possible, I need to transform my body
0:04:23 > 0:04:25using science and technology
0:04:25 > 0:04:28to go Beyond Bionic and climb like a gecko.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Smashing. What could possibly go wrong?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Before I even think about going up against the gecko on glass,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I want to know how my normal climbing skills stack up
0:04:39 > 0:04:41against this little lizard on rock.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45So I've come to Gordale Scar in North Yorkshire
0:04:45 > 0:04:49to test myself on some of the toughest climbing routes in the UK.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I caught the climbing bug when I was just 14.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54But the ability to climb like a gecko
0:04:54 > 0:04:56would open a world of possibilities.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00It's every climber's dream to be able to climb anything,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02any place, any time.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Can I match the gecko up a sheer rock face?
0:05:06 > 0:05:08There's only one way to find out.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Great twirling skills there!
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Let's climb, gecko boy.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13I've done my research
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and a gecko climbs at about one metre every second.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20So this cliff is about 40 metres high,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22so that should take a gecko about 40 seconds,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24so let's see how I get on.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27# Go, Andy, go, Andy, go, Andy. #
0:05:27 > 0:05:31This limestone rock face is the perfect surface for me to climb,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34as there's plenty of places for me to put my hands and feet.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38But geckos don't need hand and foot holds to climb.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41They have an amazing ability to stick to any surface
0:05:41 > 0:05:44thanks to millions of tiny hairs on their toes.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47And here I've been shaving my toes like a fool!
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Well, I think I've been climbing for about four minutes now
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and I'm not even halfway up.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58A gecko would have been up and down here,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01lapping me six or seven times already.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05So compared to a gecko, your climbing is like crawling?
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Geckos have such good sticking power
0:06:07 > 0:06:10that they can hang their entire body weight from one toe.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12HE PANTS
0:06:13 > 0:06:17When I climb, I have to support my body weight with my fingers and toes
0:06:17 > 0:06:19as I pull and push myself up the cliff.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23It takes real physical effort and when my muscles get tired...
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Whoa!
0:06:24 > 0:06:25..I fall off.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27SHE HUMS MOCKINGLY
0:06:27 > 0:06:29I bet a gecko doesn't find it this difficult.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35I need to face facts - I can't match the gecko for climbing speed.
0:06:35 > 0:06:36It's far too fast.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38But I'm determined to climb like one,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42so I need to up my game and find a way to make my hands and feet
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Beyond Bionic.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51I might have my work cut out to beat this exceptional climber,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54but how does the gecko compare to other superstars
0:06:54 > 0:06:55of the animal kingdom?
0:06:55 > 0:06:57First up, sticking power.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Geckos and anole lizards both have sticky toepads on their feet
0:07:01 > 0:07:06that allow them to climb up trees, walls, even glass, with ease.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07It's a sticky stalemate.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12But the gecko wins hands down as the combined sticking power of its feet
0:07:12 > 0:07:14can support the weight of two people.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17That's 100 times its own body weight.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Yeah, stick it to 'em!
0:07:19 > 0:07:20When it comes to climbing,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23the tree frog gives the gecko a run for its money.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26But the tree frog can't produce enough mucus in their feet
0:07:26 > 0:07:28to stick to dry or rough materials,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32which means the gecko is always one step ahead.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Whoa. Snotty feet?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Can someone pass the tissues?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It's geckos versus leopards when it comes to night vision.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Both use their incredible eyesight to hunt at night.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Leopards can see seven times better than humans in the dark.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47I feel illuminated.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52But geckos' eyes are a whopping 350 times more sensitive to light
0:07:52 > 0:07:53than ours.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56And unlike most animals, they can see colour at night.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Gecko shades is what I need!
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Animals really are nature's superheroes and I'm totally in awe.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08But I'm also seriously competitive.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11I hate being beaten and I like to win.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14So if I'm going to stand a chance against the strongest,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18fastest and best-designed animals in the world,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20I need their super skills.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21And how do I do that?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23I'm going around the world
0:08:23 > 0:08:25to find the latest in cutting-edge technology
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and the experts who can help me transform my body
0:08:28 > 0:08:30and go Beyond Bionic.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35I've been set the ultimate gecko climbing challenge.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36This, I got to see.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38How are you going to stick like me?
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I'm going to scale a ten-storey glass building
0:08:41 > 0:08:43using just my hands and feet.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45To help me, I'm going to rely on friction.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Like the thing where your knees slide across the carpet
0:08:48 > 0:08:49and it really, really kills?
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Friction is the force created between two surfaces
0:08:53 > 0:08:55that are sliding, or trying to slide, across one another.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57In this case, me and the building.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Friction will help me stick to the building
0:09:01 > 0:09:03and stop gravity from pulling me down as I climb.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05This is a real challenge,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08because smooth surfaces like glass buildings
0:09:08 > 0:09:10create very little friction.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Slip and slide, my friend,
0:09:12 > 0:09:13slip and slide.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17So I need to find something to climb with that will generate as much
0:09:17 > 0:09:20friction as possible, and keep my hands and feet
0:09:20 > 0:09:23stuck fast to the glass, just like a gecko.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31First stop is the United States of America,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33and I am heading to the town of Amherst
0:09:33 > 0:09:34in the state of Massachusetts.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44At the University of Massachusetts, I've discovered a team
0:09:44 > 0:09:47who've developed an artificial type of gecko skin,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49so I'm hoping they can help me in my mission
0:09:49 > 0:09:51to climb a glass-fronted building.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55I'm meeting the team biologist, Duncan Irschick,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58to find out more about the gecko's amazing climbing abilities
0:09:58 > 0:10:02and how their feet have inspired a brand-new type of sticky material.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So who have we got here?
0:10:05 > 0:10:07This is a New Caledonian giant gecko,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10it is one of the largest geckos in the world.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14But how does a gecko, especially one as big as this specimen,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18cling to what is a perfectly smooth piece of glass?
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Because this matters to me cos I need to climb
0:10:20 > 0:10:22something exactly the same as this.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26They have these amazing toepads that they use to climb glass
0:10:26 > 0:10:28and their toepads have all modifications...
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Uh, guys, gecko on the move! Where are you going, little guy?
0:10:32 > 0:10:35And I'm starting to see first-hand
0:10:35 > 0:10:38just how quick these expert climbers can be.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Whoops.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42The feet are really amazing,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45and what you have on the feet are actually modified scales.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48They've kind of split them up into millions of little hairs
0:10:48 > 0:10:50that you can only see under a microscope.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51These are called setae.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Geckos have over 2 billion setae on their feet.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00That's, like, so unbelievably hairy.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04These super hairs can get into very close contact with whatever surface
0:11:04 > 0:11:06the gecko is climbing on.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09When the two come close together,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13tiny physical interactions are created called van der Waals forces.
0:11:13 > 0:11:14Van der huh?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Named after the Dutch scientist who worked out some things
0:11:18 > 0:11:20are stickier than others.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Got it! Loving his beard.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It's van der Waals forces that allow the gecko's feet
0:11:26 > 0:11:27to become temporarily stuck
0:11:27 > 0:11:30to whatever surface they're climbing on,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32and they are seriously strong.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34I am so geeking out on this right now.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38They have tendons that go actually from muscle to skin on their feet
0:11:38 > 0:11:41so when they put their feet down, their feet become extremely stiff.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44That allows the van der Waals forces to be distributed more evenly.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47And so Geckskin can really take a lot of those lessons about
0:11:47 > 0:11:50creating adhesives that were very stiff to become very powerful,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and that's very much based on the idea of how geckos climb.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55This kit definitely looks Beyond Bionic,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and I can't wait to put it to the test.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02I'm hoping Geckskin can help me get one step ahead in my challenge
0:12:02 > 0:12:03to climb like a gecko.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07So we're going to take a piece of Geckskin here
0:12:07 > 0:12:11and we're going to hang about 115kg onto this piece of glass.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Whoa, hold the weight, check out the safety shoes!
0:12:16 > 0:12:18That's a lot. I mean, that's 1.5 times my weight.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And this is just regular glass? Nothing special about this at all?
0:12:21 > 0:12:23That's right. Just regular glass, clean.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25- Am I OK to touch this?- Yeah, sure.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26That's not sticky at all.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29That just feels like, well, a bit of plastic.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30Yeah, that's right.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32And I can't believe what I'm seeing.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37One small piece of plastic has over 100kg hanging off it,
0:12:37 > 0:12:39and it's going nowhere.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40That's pretty incredible.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43OMG-for-gecko. That is amazeballs.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48But even more amazing is that Geckskin has also taken inspiration
0:12:48 > 0:12:51for how geckos unstick their feet.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53If a gecko wants to become un-stuck in a hurry,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56they simply change the angles of the hairs in their feet
0:12:56 > 0:12:58by peeling back their toes,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01breaking the van der Waals forces that keep them attached,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and Geckskin works in a similar way.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Do you want to take it off? That's actually the really cool thing about
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Geckskin is that it can hang all this weight,
0:13:09 > 0:13:10but then the minute you want to,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12you can just release it with almost no force.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Get me a lab coat, people, I want to work with these dudes.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I mean, there's no doubt that is impressive stuff.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22This challenge, to climb like a gecko,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24is suddenly starting to look easy.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Confident! I like it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27It can hold my weight,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I can even do pull-ups on it.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Looks like you could pull a truck with it.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36So how about this?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Super sports utility vehicle
0:13:38 > 0:13:41constructed from over two tonnes of steel,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45chrome and really, really nice leather interiors.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47It even warms your butt on cold days.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Andy, you're going to need to pull like you have never pulled before.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56That's a pretty good challenge, but let's ramp it up one more step.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Why don't you guys jump in and I'll try and pull you too?
0:13:59 > 0:14:00OK, sounds good.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Here we go, he just can't help himself.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- Go, Andy!- Come on, Andy! Pull that!
0:14:10 > 0:14:11- Go, Andy!- Come on, Andy!
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Is there a problem? Did someone leave the handbrake on?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Come on!
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- Is the brake on? - Are you and I in reverse? Neutral?
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Oh, come on, guys!
0:14:23 > 0:14:25That's better!
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I just hope the Geckskin sticks as well as it did in the lab.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Yeah! There we go!
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- Woo, good work!- Yeah!- All right!
0:14:33 > 0:14:34So far, so good.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38This super material has allowed me to pull over two tonnes of truck.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41That's the same weight as a hippopotamus.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I'm really getting into my stride.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47But then I slightly change the angle at which I'm pulling
0:14:47 > 0:14:49and the material instantly peels off,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51bringing the challenge to a halt.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Yeah, a bad workman always blames his tools.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57You need to pull straight, my friend.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I'm determined to get this right,
0:15:01 > 0:15:02so it's back to it.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06It's incredible that one A4-sized piece of Geckskin
0:15:06 > 0:15:08is sticking so well
0:15:08 > 0:15:10that I can pull all this weight.
0:15:10 > 0:15:11This could give me the chance
0:15:11 > 0:15:14to match the gecko's formidable climbing skills.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16And how Beyond Bionic would it be to use a material
0:15:16 > 0:15:20inspired by the gecko's feet to complete my challenge?
0:15:20 > 0:15:23So the question is, can you make me, like, a pair of gloves,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25maybe a pair of boots out of this stuff,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27so I can climb a glass building?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29So unfortunately, we can't do that yet.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30That is a shame.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Frustratingly, I found Geckskin too early in its development
0:15:34 > 0:15:37to help me climb like a gecko.
0:15:37 > 0:15:38Yes, it can support my weight
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and yes, it can let me pull a truck,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44but that's because Geckskin works by sticking flat to the surface
0:15:44 > 0:15:46it comes into contact with.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Moulding it into 3-D shapes like gloves or boots
0:15:49 > 0:15:51isn't an option at the moment.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54But in a few years' time, I'm sure this team of clever scientists
0:15:54 > 0:15:57will have opened up a world of climbing possibilities
0:15:57 > 0:15:59with their gecko-inspired material.
0:16:01 > 0:16:02Such a pity.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06But I'm still confident that science can give me the help I need
0:16:06 > 0:16:07to complete this challenge.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09So it's onwards and upwards.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18The Beyond Bionic team have set me an impossible challenge -
0:16:18 > 0:16:22to climb like a gecko up this 52 metre-high building
0:16:22 > 0:16:24using just my hands and feet.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Geckos can climb vertically, horizontally,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30even upside down on super-smooth surfaces,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33whereas I need hand and foot holds to hang onto.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36So I've got to find a way to transform my body
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and give myself the same sticking power as this limber lizard.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43I've found some incredible new inventions
0:16:43 > 0:16:45that will work wonders in the future,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47but I need something that works now.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Time is running out for me to find the tech to complete my challenge.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Can I beat the gecko on glass at its own game?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56That is how far we have come.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59That is how far we've still got to go.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Or will I go home with my tail between my legs?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16My mission to match the gecko sticky step for sticky step
0:17:16 > 0:17:20has brought me to the city of Boston on the East Coast of America.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I've had a tip-off that inside this big, shiny building
0:17:23 > 0:17:26is a piece of suction-based tech that might just give me
0:17:26 > 0:17:28the lift I need.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30This is the home of Draper Laboratory,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33where some of the world's most advanced engineering projects
0:17:33 > 0:17:34are developed.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36These guys must really know their stuff.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41And I'm here to meet Dave Carter, an expert in nanostructured materials,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44and I can't wait to see what he's got in store.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Nah, no idea what that means, but it sounds cool!
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Well, it looks like you're well on the way to having a solution
0:17:50 > 0:17:52- to, er, my challenge.- I think we do.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55We have the Z-Man hybrid system here
0:17:55 > 0:17:58that we can use to make a human climb.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Zee-Man, Zed-Man, tomayto, tomahto.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03The Z-Man definitely looks Beyond Bionic,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and I'm definitely up for giving it a go.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08You do love a harness.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09- There are two of them.- OK.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- One for each hand and one for each foot.- Brilliant.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So what you want to do is place it against the wall,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- and start to step down.- OK.
0:18:17 > 0:18:18- There we go.- That's it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20So you push it against the wall and step down.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23The suction cups get pulled into the wall and our gecko material helps it
0:18:23 > 0:18:26grip better so it doesn't slide down the wall.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- So it's a combination of suction and gecko?- And gecko.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34That makes the Z-Man like an octopus-gecko mashup. Nice.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Octopuses use suction to stick to things underwater.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40When the cups in their tentacles push down,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43water is squeezed out, sucking them in.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46That, plus the sticking power of a gecko,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49could be just what I need to complete my challenge.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53But is this tech's combined sucking and sticking power strong enough
0:18:53 > 0:18:56to hold all 80kg of my weight?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58It's the moment of truth.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It's a tough ask, but it seems to be working!
0:19:00 > 0:19:02This is incredible.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04I'm able to hang all my weight from one pad,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09making my hand totally Beyond Bionic and just like a gecko's toe.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Oh, I've only got three LEDs.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14You're running out of juice already, Andy?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17The LEDs tell me how many of the suction cups
0:19:17 > 0:19:19are fully attached to the wall.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23I need all seven to be lit up for maximum sticking power.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25There you go, I think you've got the hang of it.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Oh, we're there, we're there.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30It's the sort of thing, you know,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32you'd expect a superhero to be using.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Now is not the time to big yourself up.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Concentrate, Andy!
0:19:36 > 0:19:38And what sort of stuff can be climbed with this?
0:19:38 > 0:19:41The systems are made for this sort of painted metal or glass.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43This system is looking promising.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46It works on flat surfaces like the building I'll be scaling.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49And I feel confident that, with a bit of practice,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51I stand a chance of climbing like a gecko.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Congratulations on your first gecko climb.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56That is a phenomenal bit of kit.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00And have these been used before to climb big, high buildings?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Yeah, we've climbed two to three storeys with it before.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Well, the plan now is to really put these to the test,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08and I'm going to try and climb a ten-storey building.
0:20:08 > 0:20:09Ten storeys?
0:20:09 > 0:20:11No-one's done that before.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13And that's why Andy's Beyond Bionic.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15He goes were no human has gone before!
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Which has got me thinking - what if we were all like geckos?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24You'd need super large, sticky feet,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26roughly the same length as your legs,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and your shoe size would be over 100.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33What if you put a gecko underwater in a swimming pool?
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Would it stick?
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Yes, it would, because geckos' toepads can work even underwater.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40They'd be no fun on a water slide.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43What if a human had to clean their eyeball with their tongue,
0:20:43 > 0:20:44just like a gecko?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Well, your tongue would need to be 30cm long,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49the same length as a ruler.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Cool!
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Today, I'm going to attempt something
0:21:01 > 0:21:03no human has ever done before
0:21:03 > 0:21:07climb this 52 metre-high glass building just like a gecko.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10I love a world-first.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11And it's no ordinary building.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13The Beyond Bionic team have picked
0:21:13 > 0:21:15the Education First building in Boston
0:21:15 > 0:21:18because it has a central waterfall
0:21:18 > 0:21:22that contains 400 panes of super-smooth glass.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25And I bet you didn't know that each glass panel has been placed
0:21:25 > 0:21:27into position by GPS tracking,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31and a team of experts including a space dude from Nasa.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33No pressure, Andy!
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I've come along way on this challenge.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Since meeting the gecko for the first time,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40I've learnt that I can't match my opponent
0:21:40 > 0:21:42when it comes to natural climbing ability.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49But I have found incredible materials and technology
0:21:49 > 0:21:52inspired by the super skills of animals
0:21:52 > 0:21:55that can help me stick to any surface.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57And now it's time for me to put those to the test
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and climb, gecko-style.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02It's finally challenge day and I just want to get started.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06I'm super excited cos I have never climbed anything like this before.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09And certainly not in the way we're going to try and climb it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15The Z-Man system is going to allow me to transform myself
0:22:15 > 0:22:17into a real-life gecko
0:22:17 > 0:22:21and climb up super-smooth glass using just my hands and feet.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23But this is risky.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27No-one's ever used it on anything bigger than a two-storey building,
0:22:27 > 0:22:28and I'm going for ten.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- Yep, the rope's down.- All right.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33I'm putting all my trust in technology,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35as there's nothing on the building to cling to.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40But there's no way I'm being beaten by a lizard, even if it is awesome.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43He's all double-checked, his harness is tight.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Reminds me of ice climbs, this big static waterfall of glass.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51He is getting ready to climb.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Is he on belay yet?
0:22:53 > 0:22:54All right, everything's good.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Andy is all ready to go Beyond Bionic.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08As I set off, it's a relief to see the seven red LED lights
0:23:08 > 0:23:11which shows I'm using the panels properly
0:23:11 > 0:23:13and have maximum sticking power.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18It starts quite easy cos it's sloping inwards.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22But after a transition onto the steep panel...
0:23:24 > 0:23:26..then it starts getting hard.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It's hard work, this.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31I'm hoping there is some American pancakes at the top for lunch.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Yeah, with, like, maple syrup and bananas and blueber...
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Stop, you're making me hungry!
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Of course, geckos don't have that problem.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42When food is scarce,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45they can store nutrients and calories in their tails.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50In fact, that's a great way of telling how healthy a gecko is.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53The fatter his tail, the healthier the gecko.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Ah, is there anything a gecko can't do?
0:23:56 > 0:23:59They've even got a built-in packed lunch!
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Well, it's pretty hot today
0:24:02 > 0:24:03and it's hard work,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05but this kit is working amazingly well.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Far better even than in the lab.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Uh, Andy, I know you're busy, but you seem to have a fan club.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17OK, well, that is how far we have come.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It's not that far.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Because that is how far we've still got to go.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23You can definitely do it!
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Probably.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Whew! But the sun is shining, and the view is beautiful.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31"Come to Boston," they said.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34"It'll be nice and cool in the autumn," they said.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37The hot autumn weather is making this climb even harder.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40But for a gecko, this weather would be perfect.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Geckos are cold-blooded animals,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45which means they rely on the heat from the sun
0:24:45 > 0:24:48or the surface they rest on to control their body temperature.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50The colder it is,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53the harder it is for geckos to get their energy to move.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54But in this sunshine,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58a gecko would be up this building in around 52 seconds.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00What was that? Oh, it was a gecko whizzing past you!
0:25:00 > 0:25:02The great thing about the Z-Man
0:25:02 > 0:25:05is that you don't just have to climb up.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06You can also go...
0:25:06 > 0:25:07..sideways.
0:25:09 > 0:25:10HE PANTS
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Getting close.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Hey, lady with the camera, back off,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19he's climbing like a gecko.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20No distractions!
0:25:21 > 0:25:24This next bit is the trickiest of the lot.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25So you look there.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29All of the big bits of metal all meet in one centre point,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and passing that will be the hardest bit of the whole climb.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Oh, I'm not sure I can watch.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39But thanks to this amazing gecko-inspired climbing system,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41I am soon up,
0:25:41 > 0:25:42over,
0:25:42 > 0:25:43and away.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01Nearly there.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04One more step and you've done it.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Ah, Andy, you have climbed like a gecko!
0:26:07 > 0:26:09That is amazing.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11You really are Beyond Bionic.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Yeah!
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Well, not as graceful,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20not as efficient,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and nowhere near as fast as a gecko...
0:26:24 > 0:26:27..but that was still absolutely awesome to do.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32It's incredible to think
0:26:32 > 0:26:35that I've matched one of the best climbers in the world,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39and it's made me even more in awe of this little lizard.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40You did it!
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Congratulations, you big gecko boy!
0:26:44 > 0:26:46I went toe to toe with one of nature's best climbers
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and used some cutting-edge technology
0:26:49 > 0:26:51to climb a 52 metre-high glass building,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54like no other human being has done before.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56There's no doubt I don't have the speed
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and natural climbing ability of the gecko.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02My body isn't designed to stick to any surface.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06But science and technology has given me the tools to go beyond the limits
0:27:06 > 0:27:08of the human body,
0:27:08 > 0:27:09and go Beyond Bionic.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11Yeah!