п»ї10 Exceptional Abilities of Animals That Resemble Superheroes

Quck answer

The animal kingdom is full of superheroes with incredible powers. Here are 10 of the most amazing:

1. The chameleon’s ability to change color and blend into its surroundings.

2. The electric eel’s ability to generate and discharge electricity.

3. The kangaroo’s powerful legs and ability to hop at high speeds.

4. The king cobra’s deadly venom.

5. The octopus’s ability to camouflage and shape-shift.

6. The peregrine falcon’s incredible speed and agility in flight.

7. The polar bear’s thick fur and ability to swim in freezing water.

8. The regenerating powers of the axolotl, which can regrow lost limbs and organs.

9. The strength of the dung beetle, which can move objects up to 1,141 times its own weight.

10. The echolocation abilities of bats, which allow them to navigate and hunt in complete darkness.

These animal superheroes may not wear capes or have catchy theme songs, but their incredible powers are truly awe-inspiring.

Animal Facts

Have you ever been asked which superpower you would choose if you had the chance? If so, the 10 abilities listed below should be taken into consideration for your next answer.
ClaudioVentrella/iStock/Thinkstock

POW! BLAM! KABOOM!

In the world of superheroes, these “sounds” frequently indicate that our hero is triumphing over the villain of the day. The world will soon return to order and peace will prevail for a little longer.

However, superheroes in the animal kingdom aren’t as flashy. When they harm an enemy or gain an advantage over their surroundings, you’re unlikely to hear anything more than a quiet “ribbit.” On the following pages, we’ll be introduced to animals in our world вЂ“ and some that can even survive beyond our world — with abilities that might seem incredible even to the experts at DC and Marvel.

So WHOOSH! Let’s move on to the next page to discover more about the superheroes who defend their own little portion of the animal kingdom.

10: Froggy Went Awakin’

That wood frog is definitely not frozen.
В© Joe McDonald/Corbis

First on our list of animals with enviable abilities is the seemingly unremarkable wood frog (Rana sylvatica). This little jumper’s personality is as dull as Clark Kent’s. It lives in North America, extending up into the Arctic Circle, and spends most of its days doing typical frog activities like jumping and climbing. Nothing unusual.

However, as soon as the first sign of freezing weather arrives, the wood frog’s true abilities are revealed.

When these frogs feel the sting of severe cold, they freeze. The water in their bodies turns to ice, while the syrup-like fluid inside their cells remains viscous [source: Roach]. Essentially, a wood frog in winter mimics a dead frog: no organ function, no breathing.

But come spring? The ice melts and the wood frog’s blood begins circulating. The frog starts functioning approximately 30 minutes after the ice melts, without any harm done.

9: The Hairy Bone-breaker

You can’t see the claws in the illustration of this hairy frog, but rest assured that they’re ready and waiting for any foolish predator.
DeAgostini/Getty Images

Usually we avoid repeats on a list, but this frog вЂ“ Trichobatrachus robustus, also known as a hairy frog — deserves to share space with other superhero animals. However, no young, attractive leading man would ever want to be cast in the film adaptation of this super animal’s story. The male hairy frog is unbelievably ugly and produces hair-like threads of skin and arteries during mating season, which the females love.

His superpower is equally unsettling and amazing. When in danger, the frog can extend claws out of its toe pads, like Wolverine. However, instead of keratin claws like those of cats or dogs, the hairy frog’s claws are made of bone. Even more disturbing, the frog seems to have to break the bones of its toes to push the claw out [source: Brahic]. Put like that, and Wolverine suddenly appears more villain than hero.

Scientists are unable to explain how the bone retracts, and they speculate that the amphibian is regenerating tissue to aid in the healing of the wound. This is all that’s required to launch a thousand nightmares: a Wolverine frog with regenerative powers.

8: Spider, Hold the Man

A Darwin’s bark spider was seen exhibiting its remarkable web-building skills at the Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in South Africa. Peter Chadwick/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Spider-Man is a more suitable superhero than, let’s say, Golden Retriever Man for a reason. No offense to our furry friends, but spiders have the upper hand, or rather leg, when it comes to amazing biological functions and talents. Rolling over and playing dead is not a superpower, after all.

But do you know what is? Producing enormous webs of shockingly robust silk to catch foes. And that’s precisely what the Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini) does. This species of spider creates huge webs that stretch across bodies of water, with anchor strands up to 82 feet (25 meters) long [source: Agnarsson et al.]. However, such an impressive web wouldn’t do any good if it fell apart when a fruit fly sneezed on it.

Therefore, scientists decided to test the strength of the spider’s silk, and they discovered that the strands were twice as tough as any other silk studied and 10 times stronger than Kevlar [source: Agnarsson et al.]. It can withstand incredible amounts of kinetic energy before breaking, so no insignificant insect can escape the spider’s web.

7: The Reluctant Superhero

Aren’t these microscopic invertebrates the cutest? Tardigrades are also much tougher than you are. В© Science Picture Co./Corbis

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are chubby, small creatures about a quarter to half a millimeter long [source: Goldstein and Baxter]. They even have their own phylum. These microscopic invertebrates can be found in your backyard; they love moss and beach sediment. They’d rather stay away from extreme climates, thank you very much. So, what makes these tiny, quiet beings so super?

They have a superpower they’d rather ignore. Although they do not enjoy extreme climates, tardigrades can adapt to the wildest environments on and off the planet. We’re not talking about surviving at the bottom of the ocean here; we’re talking about surviving pressures more than six times those found in the deepest ocean. We’re not just talking about boiling temperatures; we’re talking about water bears surviving water at 300 degrees F (149 degrees C). Their most significant achievement? Tardigrades can survive in space, a place not known for its abundant life [source: Simon].

How do they do it? A superpower called cryptobiosis, where the water bear dehydrates and can survive for years with very little metabolic function [source: Clegg]. When in contact with water, the little creature rehydrates and comes back to life.

6: Worm Its Way Back

Nothing says “superhero” quite like regenerating body parts. It’s one of the cooler things about characters like Wolverine and Deadpool. Your head is pulverized by the Hulk? Just grow another one.

The planarian is a type of flatworm that can regenerate into a whole new organism if any part of it is cut off. It is also capable of developing from a single cell. Additionally, the planarian appears to have a memory superpower, as it can retain old memories even after regenerating a new head and brain. The archerfish is another extraordinary creature, with the ability to shoot a stream of water so precisely that it can take down insects above the surface of the water. This feat is achieved despite the refraction of the water and the angle of the shot. Finally, the dung beetle is the strongest animal in the world, able to pull 1,140 times its own body weight. This strength is necessary for mating, as males must compete with each other to enter a female’s den. However, smaller beetles have their own advantages, such as higher testes mass, making them more likely to successfully impregnate a female.

3: Not a Sea Snake or Lionfish, but an Octopus Impersonator

Although small in size, the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) has a powerful talent for impersonating other sea creatures to ward off predators. While other octopus species may change color or texture to protect themselves, the mimic octopus takes it a step further by imitating a range of toxic sea life such as sea snakes and lionfish. It even decides which animal to mimic based on the perceived threat. This unique ability makes the mimic octopus a fascinating marine animal, discovered in the late 1990s living on murky seafloors around Indonesia and the Great Barrier Reef [source: Roach].

2: The Naked Mole Rat with Immunity to Cancer

The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) may not look like a superhero, but it has a superpower immune system that makes it immune to cancer. Named Vertebrate of the Year by Science magazine in 2013, the naked mole rat is a boon to scientists studying the disease. Its peculiarly heavy form of the substance hyaluronon between tissues impedes the creation of tumors, and its ability to build proteins well contributes to its lifespan of around 30 years – nine times longer than mice. Although it may not get keys to the city like Batman, the naked mole rat deserves recognition for its incredible immunity [source: Poppick].

1: The Amazing Human with Superpowers

While animals may have impressive abilities, humans also have their own superpowers. The ability to excel in areas such as strength, intelligence, and creativity make for some amazing individuals. These seemingly ordinary people may have extraordinary talents, making them superheroes in their own right. Even without painting themselves green or donning a cape, humans have the potential for incredible abilities [source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images News/Thinkstock].

Water districts employ people with highly sensitive senses of smell and taste to test water quality, while others suffer from hyperacusis, which amplifies sounds to intolerable levels. Synesthesia is a condition where people experience one sense in multiple ways, such as associating colors with musical notes or letters and numbers. However, scientists believe that our senses can be altered, such as with the BrainPort device which allows visually impaired individuals to “see” and “read” objects through electrodes on their tongue. The author notes that while “tasting” images is exciting, having claw-like bones for impressive feats or scaring villains would be even more thrilling.

Sources

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Brahic, Catherine. ‘”Horror frog’ breaks own bones to produce claws.” New Scientist. May 28, 2008. (March 27, 2014) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13991-horror-frog-breaks-own-bones-to-produce-claws.html#.UzSVxfSwKsF
Christensen, Bill. “Device lets the tongue see.” LiveScience. Aug. 26, 2009. (March 27, 2014) http://www.livescience.com/10576-device-lets-tongue.html
Clegg, JS. “Cryptobiosis.” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part B, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. April 2001. (March 27, 2014) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11290443
Courage, Katherine Harmon. “Mimic octopus makes home on Great Barrier Reef.” Scientific American. March 21, 2013. (March 27, 2014) http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2013/03/21/mimic-octopus-makes-home-on-great-barrier-reef/
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The website for Reader’s Digest contains information on supersenses, which was published on September 8, 2010. The BrainPort V100 device created by Wicab, Inc. is also featured on the website of Brainport Technologies. Both sources can be accessed through the provided links, with the Reader’s Digest article being from 2010 and the information on BrainPort Technologies being updated as of March 27, 2014. The HTML tags for the headers, paragraphs, and images are preserved.

FAQ

1. What is the strongest animal in the world?

The strongest animal in the world is the dung beetle. It can pull over 1,100 times its own weight, making it the strongest animal in relation to its body weight. This strength is necessary for the dung beetle to roll dung into a ball and transport it to a safe location for food storage.

2. What animal has the best sense of smell?

The bloodhound has the best sense of smell in the animal kingdom. They have 300 million scent receptors, which is 50 times more than humans. This makes them perfect for tracking and hunting. They can also distinguish different scents even in a crowded area.

3. Which animal can survive the longest without water?

The kangaroo rat can survive the longest without water. It is able to go its entire life without drinking water, obtaining all the water it needs from the seeds it eats. It is able to conserve water by producing extremely concentrated urine and dry feces.

4. What animal has the strongest bite?

The saltwater crocodile has the strongest bite of any animal. Its bite force is 3,700 pounds per square inch, which is stronger than any other animal. This power is necessary for the crocodile to catch and kill its prey, which includes large animals such as buffalo and sharks.

5. Which animal can run the fastest?

The cheetah is the fastest land animal, capable of running up to 75 miles per hour. Its slender body and long legs make it the perfect predator, able to sprint and catch its prey with ease.

6. What animal has the best eyesight?

The eagle has the best eyesight of any animal. It can spot prey from a mile away and can see five times farther than humans. Its eyes have a higher density of receptors, allowing it to see more detail and color.

7. Which animal can hold its breath the longest?

The sperm whale can hold its breath for up to two hours, which is longer than any other animal. This allows it to dive deep into the ocean in search of food, such as squid and octopus.

8. What animal has the most powerful venom?

The box jellyfish has the most powerful venom of any animal. Its tentacles contain toxins that attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. Its venom is so potent that it can kill a human in just a few minutes.