We all know that the claws of the unassuming mantis shrimp pack a punch, to say the least, but they’ve got a feisty competitor for the award of most badass crustacean: the pistol shrimp.
The pistol shrimp, or snapping shrimp, sports a giant claw that can snap shut at speeds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph). They snap this claw so fast that it produces a loud noise accompanied by a cavitation bubble where water should be. There is so much negative pressure inside this bubble that the water crashes back down, kicking out a serious amount of heat and light. Earth Unplugged managed to capture some cool footage of these powerful claws in action, check it out in slow motion here: