So if invisibility isn’t your thing, maybe climbing walls is …

SPIDERMAN may have wowed moviegoers and wooed comic fans for decades, but the idea of a wall-crawling human has always been a work of fiction. Now, scientists say they have created a material that could turn cartoon fiction into scientific fact.

Experts at British defence firm BAE Systems have been working on developing a new super-adherent material they say acts like “molecular Velcro”. The textile, which they have labelled synthetic gecko, does not use glue or pressure to stick to walls but re-creates the natural adhesion of the lizard that gives it its name.

But before investing in a red-and-blue skintight costume, note that the fabric is “still at the early stages,” said Jeff Sargent, principal researcher for the project.

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