Analyzing the peacock mantis shrimp's claws
Analyzing the peacock mantis shrimp's claws
Why the peacock mantis shrimp's clubs can take a beating.
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
Transcript
CARMEN DRAHL: Meet the peacock mantis shrimp. It's got claws like hammers to bash open the shells that protect its prey. Those claws stand up to regular beatings, and now researchers have figured out why. Undergraduate Steven Herrera, who contributed to the work, tells us more.
STEVEN HERRERA: The shrimp can actually accelerate their clubs at up to the speeds of a 22-caliber bullet, creating 500 pounds of force. And although the materials that their clubs are made of is similar to the bone, they can take the abuse of thousands of strikes in a relatively short period. Studying the fundamental organization and structure of their clubs will allow us to build and develop stronger, stiffer, and lighter materials, useful in applications for car frames, jet airframes, and body armor.
STEVEN HERRERA: The shrimp can actually accelerate their clubs at up to the speeds of a 22-caliber bullet, creating 500 pounds of force. And although the materials that their clubs are made of is similar to the bone, they can take the abuse of thousands of strikes in a relatively short period. Studying the fundamental organization and structure of their clubs will allow us to build and develop stronger, stiffer, and lighter materials, useful in applications for car frames, jet airframes, and body armor.