The amazing strength of mantis shrimp legs

Close-up of a mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) © Silke Baron CC BY 2.0The amazing strength of mantis shrimp legs

How does the mantis shrimp resist the sonic shocks it inflicts on its prey?

Researchers at ILM (Lyon), LAUM (Le Mans) and Northwestern University (USA) have shown that the shrimp's legs, capable of hitting prey at the speed of a pistol bullet, are protected by a multi-layered, twisted structure that acts like a phononic shield.

This research, published in Science, enables the design of shock-resistant materials for the biomedical and aerospace industries.

Source
Does the mantis shrimp pack a phononic shield ? N. A. Alderete, S. Sandeep, S. Raetz, M. Asgari, M. Abi Ghanem, and H. D. Espinosa, Science 387, 659–666 (2025) – Publié le 7 février 2025
Online article