Nothing else in the animal kingdom packs a punch like the mantis shrimp. This tiny, colorful crustacean delivers a wallop at 23 meters per second – a king-hit delivering a jaw-dropping 1,500 newtons of force to crack open the shells of their prey.

These blows are so powerful that scientists have wondered how the crustacean itself remains intact against the recoil effects.

Now, they’ve uncovered one of its secrets. The dactyl clubs that rain down mantis shrimp pain have a fascinating structure that filters out shocks, protecting the animal behind them.