Meet Dr. Travis Hagey, an assistant professor at Mississippi University for Women investigating how geckos and other lizards with sticky toes climb surfaces. He is also interested in how lizards that live in different environments may have different toes as a result of adapting to their unique habitat. He combines ideas from evolutionary biology and engineering, working with animals in the lab and out in the wild.
Extension projects:
Check out the data nuggets project below to help turn this episode into a longer unit:
- For Dr. Hagey’s related talk, click here.Â
- Also check out very own Data Nuggets, where he created an interactive lesson around this topic.
This is a really well done and fascinating talk. I especially enjoyed testing the forces and angles of adhesion for gecko feet!
There’s great discussion on adaption of gecko feet in urban environments vs the forest.