Mantis Shrimp’s Powerful Punch
The mantis shrimp is a small but deadly ocean predator.
It uses a hammer-like limb called the dactyl club to punch prey at speeds of 23 m/s — faster than a blink.
Each strike creates shockwaves, like a bullet’s impact, yet the shrimp remains unharmed.
Secret of No Recoil: Phononic Shielding
Scientists discovered the shrimp’s club has a special microstructure that blocks damaging shockwaves (phononic shielding).
This structure prevents recoil damage by blunting acoustic waves that move through the material.
Lasers helped researchers observe how waves interacted with the structure at billionths of a second.
Double Impact: Bubble Collapse
The punch creates low-pressure bubbles in water, which then collapse violently, adding a second blow.
The club’s layered design absorbs shock:
Hard outer shell spreads impact.
Inner fibers are arranged to handle repeated hits without damage.
These features also form bandgaps, blocking certain energy waves.
Its Future Use
Mantis shrimp’s club is a natural metamaterial, once thought to exist only in labs.
This discovery may inspire sound-shielding materials, like military earmuffs or blast protection gear.
Scientists are now working on biomimetic designs to trap and reuse energy in new ways.
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