Summary of Key Points
There is a marine creature known as the mantis shrimp, which has become a “fierce player” in the ocean due to its extremely fast attack speed (80 kilometers per hour), immense strength (1500 Newtons), and the unique ability to generate high temperatures instantly. Although its flesh is considered top-quality seafood, Europeans and Americans avoid catching and eating it because of its aggressive nature.
Detailed Analysis
1. This “fierce seafood” is actually the mantis shrimp!
You may never have seen one before, but it looks like a hybrid of a shrimp and a mantis—its shell comes in bright colors (for example, the peacock mantis shrimp has blue, green, and red patterns), and it lives in tropical shallow waters. Its most powerful weapon are its two forward-facing pincers, which are usually retracted but can spring out like a spring during an attack, making it a “boxing champion” of the ocean.
2. How powerful is its “fist”? Comparable to small weapons!
- Fast enough to be impossible to dodge: With a punching speed of 80 kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to the speed of cars in urban areas, and the attack takes only a few milliseconds (10 times faster than a human blink), prey doesn’t have time to react.
- Strong enough to shatter glass: The impact force of 1500 Newtons is roughly equivalent to a 150-kilogram object falling down; it can easily crack crab shells, clam shells, and even break the glass in aquariums.
- It can also “spit fire” instantly: During an attack, a vacuum bubble forms around the pincers, and when the bubble bursts, it generates temperatures of several thousand degrees Celsius (not as high as the sun’s surface temperature of 5500 degrees Celsius, but still hot enough to evaporate nearby water and scald prey). It’s similar to the small bubbles formed when you clap your hands quickly, only on a much larger scale.
3. Why don’t Europeans and Americans dare to eat it, despite being top-quality food?
Although the mantis shrimp’s flesh is tender and sweet, and it’s a popular seafood in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Philippines), few people in Europe and America consume it:
- Catching it is too dangerous: Fishermen can get injured by its pincers—minor injuries include bleeding, while more serious ones can result in fractures (its pincers are strong enough to break fingers).
- Processing it is too troublesome: Its shell is as hard as armor, and even after being brought ashore, the shrimp continues to attack; a slight mistake can lead to getting hit. Therefore, Europeans and Americans prefer to skip this delicious option to avoid the risk of injury.
4. Scientists are studying its attack mechanism!
The mantis shrimp’s attack utilizes a phenomenon called “cavitation”: The rapidly moving pincers cause the water pressure around them to drop sharply, creating vacuum bubbles that burst and release enormous amounts of energy (heat + shock waves). This principle is being studied by scientists for industrial applications—such as cleaning precision instruments (using the force of bubble bursts to remove dirt) and breaking hard materials (replacing traditional drills). This “marine boxer” has even become a source of inspiration for technological innovations!
In this way, the mantis shrimp is not only a “fierce player” in the seafood world but also a “scientist” in nature. No wonder Europeans and Americans have both admiration and fear for it!