How Spiders Climb.

Andrew Martin from the Institute of Technical Zoology and Bionics in Germany, and colleagues, discovered the secret to a spider's climbing ability:

Martin said:

"We found out that when all 600,000 tips are in contact with an underlying surface the spider can produce an adhesive force of 170 times its own weight. That's like Spiderman clinging to the flat surface of a window on a building by his fingertips and toes only, whilst rescuing 170 adults who are hanging on to his back!"

http://physics.iop.org/IOP/Press/PR2904.html