Young snapping shrimps' tiny claws accelerate in water like a bullet

When it comes to a quick draw, few creatures outgun adult snapping shrimp (Alpheus heterochaelis). They stun passing fish and foes with a simple click of a spring-loaded claw, which squirts a high-speed jet that rips through the water, producing a vapor-filled bubble (a cavitation bubble) that then implodes, resulting in a catastrophic shock wave—complete with a sharp popping sound and minute flash of light—to incapacitate their opponent.