00:00How does such a small animal build up such incredible power? It's not like it's
00:06rippling with muscles. Well, it's a very clever piece of biological engineering.
00:12But I can't really show you that here, so like with any good fight, we're gonna have
00:17to take it outside.
00:20So, how does the mantis shrimp create this super-powered punch? Well, it's very similar
00:32to how a bow and arrow works. And when you notch an arrow, pull back on the bow, you
00:38create tension. And when released, you get a bit of a punch out of it. But of course,
00:48with a mantis shrimp, it's not actually letting go of a projectile, it's letting go of its
00:53arm. In the bicep of the mantis shrimp, there is an area known as the saddle, which acts
01:02just like this bow. When the muscles tension it and pull that area down, it can store that
01:09energy in the shell. It's then fired when a ligament releases that tension, and the
01:16claw is launched forward so quickly, it can reach 50 miles an hour in 0.8 of a millisecond.
01:27This is one thing, but this is Ocean Wonders. I'm the world's only heavy metal marine biologist,
01:32so let's make it heavy. Watch this sunshine, I've got something you're gonna love. For
01:40a mere human to get even near the kind of power a mantis shrimp generates, we need to
01:46go big and go retro. Time to harness some historical heavy metal, all in the name of science.
01:58This monster is a 17th century cannon, and we're gonna fire it at that wall down there
02:06to show you just how badass the mantis shrimp is. Stand well back. 3, 2, 1. I don't think
02:21we hit it, but I do not care. That is the hot money. This hefty cannon, firing, undoubtedly
02:31packs a serious punch. We missed. Oh, damn. The right height when we were off. But how
02:38will the firepower of this ancient heavy metal mauler fare? Oh, doggy. Smashed its head off.
02:49Look at that. When compared to the punching power of our super strong shrimp. That's as
02:57tough as stone, but come with me, because I've got a feeling that yes. Check that out.
03:06That's the force that's just punched out the back of this. And I mean, this is a good five
03:12inches of hard timber, and it's just decimated it. The cannon is impressive, but it can't
03:20compete with the mantis shrimp's acceleration. Our crafty crustacean's lightning fast jab
03:27would be over before the cannon's gunpowder even lights.
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