10 Incredible Animals with Real Superpowers

Elite Facts Presents 10 Incredible Animals With Real Superpowers 10. The Archerfish Most insect-eating fish rely on serendipity for their meals. An insect has a bad day, happens to bellyflop, and the fish gets lucky. But the archerfish doesn't take none of that crap. Instead of waiting around for insects to slip up, it's evolved a revolutionary offensive tactic: spitballs. As this video shows, archerfish shoot water bullets at insects hanging out near the water, dislodging them from their perches. They are incredibly accurate, with most hitting the target on the first shot. Given how hot this summer has been so far, having a water-gun installed into our bodies sounds like a pretty great superpower. 9. The Peregrine Falcon Peregrine falcons are equipped with three superpowers: flight, super-speed, and super-awesomeness. Cheetahs may be the most legendary land sprinters, but the Peregrin falcon is by far the fastest animal in the world. When executing their bone-chilling slaughter dives, these falcons can reach speeds of 240 miles/hour, over three times as fast as cheetahs. Their prey literally never knows what hit them. Also, check out the swagger on that bird — you can see it even in this still picture. That's a bird that commands respect wherever it shows up, which might be why it has become the world's most widespread raptor, with colonies scattered from the Arctic to the tropics. 8. Orca Whale If you have ever had the pleasure of swimming with whales, you know that their first and foremost superpower is being the most Zen'd out animals on Earth. They truly behave like wise, oceanic Buddhas who have it all figured out, but aren't jerks about it. But the whale superpower we think would come most in handy is their incredible musical ability. Whale songs are intricately composed, and can be heard by fellow whales thousands of miles away. With whale-power, we could do away with Skype, and just send a personalized tune to update our distant friends and family on our lives. In the last few hundred years, however, whales have had trouble communicating over vast distances because of all the ambient noise humans create on the oceans. Check out this charity if you want to help protect the 7. The Mantis Shrimp You may have already heard about this seafaring bundle of badass from the Oatmeal. Whereas humans have only three color-receptive cones in our eyes — for red, blue, and green — the mantis shrimp has a set of 16! This little crustacean can see dozens of colors we have no name for, which perhaps explains why the shrimp itself is decked out in such radiant hues. But basking in an expanded color spectrum is not the mantis shrimp's only superpower. It also has one of the deadliest uppercuts in the animal world. Using what the Oatmeal rightfully calls its "*** sticks," it can bash its prey into oblivion. It's also super-strong, because why not? 6. The Hairy Frog The hairy frog is also known as the "horror frog," a name it has earned with its bizarre adaptation. Basically, this frog is Wolverine. When threatened, it will break its own bones and push them through its toe pads into claws. Evolution: you are one crazy weirdo. Though it's not as glamorous as some of the other superpowers on this list, the hairy frog wins for this round for badassery alone. 5. The Mountain Goat Imagine that every cliffside you've ever seen was as accessible as a flight of stars. That's the superpower mountain goats show off all day long in the North American Rockies. The agility of this animal is legendary, and there are many videos out there that showcase their talent for goofing around at jaw-dropping heights. Their hooves act like suction cups in tight places, allowing them to remain surefooted even on dizzyingly steep rock faces. Most of us have to be confined to wandering around on the horizontal plane, but these guys have unlocked the secrets of the vertical world. 4. The Firefly When it comes to dating, fireflies definitely got it right. How much easier is it to select your mate based off how bright their butt is? This would be a major simplification and, we argue, a vast improvement on our current mating rituals. Also, packaged in with the deal, you get flight! Nuff said. 3. The Sea Cucumber Get ready for another gross-but-useful superpower! The sea cucumber has evolved an unusual adaptation: it can liquify itself. Yes, like the T-1000 or Alex Mack, this oceanic creature can fit through tiny spaces and evade predators by ejecting its guts out of its butt. It's not classy, but it is effective, as evidenced by the sea cucumber's huge populations. Some species have developed even crazier defense mechanisms, such as shooting deadly poison, or spitting their net-like lungs out of their body to entangle predators (yes, you read that nightmarish scenario right). The upshot? DON'T MESS WITH SEA CUCUMBERS. 2. The Chameleon Pop quiz, hotshot: you accidentally slept through your morning class, and as you scramble into school, you see that class's Professor walking your way. What do you do?! Well, if you had the chameleon's incredible superpower of camouflage, you could just hit the deck and blend in perfectly with your surroundings. Chameleons have also evolved extraordinary eye sockets that allow for panoramic vision, so you could tell when the Prof was out of eyesight, even if he/she was behind you! This skill would also be helpful for when you hear your mother yell "time to clean your room!" from downstairs. 1. The Ant Ever been forced to call a tow truck after your car broke down? Guess what: with ant power, you could have just as easily picked it up and walked it to a mechanic. Ants can lift objects up to 100 times heavier than their own weight! If we could do the same, the average human could juggle elephants if the desire struck them (we're guessing the elephants wouldn't be thrilled, however). Some species are equipped with additional superpowers, like flight or a nasty bite. But one advantage all ants share? Telepathy. These critters embed complex messages in their pheromones, which is why they have such an astonishingly organized social structure. Their hive-mind civilization has proven to be extraordinarily successful — ants have colonized almost every landmass on Earth. Don't forget to like us and subscribe For more Elite Facts