Pistol Shrimp Creates Sonic Boom

Beneath the waves, one of the ocean's most powerful sounds comes not from a whale, but from a creature barely a few inches long. The pistol shrimp wields a specialized, oversized claw that it can snap shut at speeds over 60 miles per hour. This incredible speed doesn't just make a noise; it forces a jet of water out so fast that it creates a low-pressure pocket in its wake. This void, known as a cavitation bubble, is the true secret to the shrimp's power.

The bubble collapses almost instantly under the pressure of the surrounding water, and it is this implosion that generates the stunning effects. The collapse produces a shockwave, a brilliant flash of light, and a sound blast reaching an astonishing 218 decibels—significantly louder than a gunshot. During this violent event, the temperature inside the bubble briefly soars to over 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature nearly matching the surface of the Sun.

The shrimp uses this powerful shockwave to stun or even kill its prey, like small fish and crabs, without ever making physical contact. The phenomenon is so common and widespread that large colonies of pistol shrimp create a constant crackling background noise in the ocean. This "sea sizzle" is so significant that it was a known source of interference for submarine sonar operators during World War II, who often had to account for the sound of thousands of tiny sonic cannons firing at once.