Reasons to Believe

Mantis Shrimp Hammer

May 1, 2004
By Dr. Hugh Ross

TNRTB Archive - Retained for reference information

Biologists have discovered a new design feature for shrimp. They found that the peacock mantis shrimp possesses the fastest appendicular striker (quickest arm) in the animal kingdom. This striker is like a crossbow. It possesses a ratchet device that allows the shrimp’s muscles to slowly stretch a powerful paraboloid spring to maximum tension. The shrimp can suddenly release that tension to deliver a lightning-quick hammer blow 9,000 times the force of gravity. Such an amazing structure points to a supernatural Creator.

S. N. Patek, W. L. Korff, and R. L. Caldwell, “Deadly Shrimp Mechanism of Mantis Shrimp,” Nature, 428 (2004), p. 819.

http://www.nature.com/ cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v428/n6985/abs/nature428819a _fs.html

RTB article: Facts for Faith articles on biological evolution

Subjects: Life Design

Want to leave a comment on this article?

Sign me up for the RTB newsletter

Your comments are welcome.
Please use the form to the right.

Dr. Hugh Ross

Reasons to Believe emerged from my passion to research, develop, and proclaim the most powerful new reasons to believe in Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior and to use those new reasons to reach people for Christ. Read more about Dr. Hugh Ross.