The Mantis Shrimp Has One of the Fastest Punches in Nature

The mantis shrimp may be small enough to fit in your hand, but its strike is unbelievably powerful. Some species can swing their club-shaped claws at around 14 - 23 meters per second, with acceleration reaching roughly 10,000 g. A roller coaster drop is around 2-5 g of force. That speed is fast enough to create cavitation bubbles underwater - tiny vapor bubbles that collapse almost instantly. When they collapse, they release a secondary burst of force, heat, sound, and even a tiny flash of light. So when a mantis shrimp hits its prey, it's not just landing a punch, it's creating a miniature underwater shockwave which can VAPORIZE its prey!