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Smart boxers bind their hands with strips of cloth to avoid injury when they pack a punch. Millions of years ago, the "smasher" mantis shrimp, one of nature's feistiest predators, figured out a similar way to protect the hammer-like club it uses to pulverize prey with incredible speed and force.
A group of researchers has identified a unique structure that wraps around the mantis shrimp’s club to protect it from self-inflicted damage as it crushes hard-shelled prey. The finding could help the research team develop ultra-strong materials for the aerospace and sports industries.Image credit: Silke Baron (CC BY 2.0)
