Mantis shrimp can punch with the acceleration of a bullet
Some trivia is so bizarre it forces you to rethink your entire understanding of the world. Check out the fact below, see how others reacted, and scroll down to dive into the verified science and history behind it.
The mantis shrimp's striking claw accelerates at 10,400 g (compared to a bullet at about 8,000 g) and reaches speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph) in 3 milliseconds. The impact creates a cavitation bubble that collapses with a shockwave almost as powerful as the punch itself, meaning prey can be struck twice by one blow. Mantis shrimp can break aquarium glass. They also have 16 types of colour receptors — humans have 3 — seeing colours in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum that are invisible to us.
A creature the size of your hand outpunches a bullet and sees colours that cameras can't capture. It makes our bodies feel rather limited by comparison.
The Science Behind It
The mantis shrimp's striking claw accelerates at 10,400 g (compared to a bullet at about 8,000 g) and reaches speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph) in 3 milliseconds. The impact creates a cavitation bubble that collapses with a shockwave almost as powerful as the punch itself, meaning prey can be struck twice by one blow. Mantis shrimp can break aquarium glass. They also have 16 types of colour receptors — humans have 3 — seeing colours in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum that are invisible to us.
Why Your Brain Finds This Hard to Believe
Sources & Verification
OddlyHuman Editors
VerifiedWritten and fact-checked by the OddlyHuman Behavioral Science Team. We verify all psychological, sociological, and historical claims against peer-reviewed journals, primary sources, and established encyclopedias to bring you accurate insights.
Read our Editorial Guidelines →“Mantis shrimp punch faster than a bullet, can break aquarium glass, and see 16 types of colour (humans see 3). They're basically a superpower crustacean. 🦐 #OddlyHuman”