Using Springs to Bypass Traditional Speed Limits

Carnivorous trap-jaw ants clamp down on prey in a split second, with jaw speeds approaching 145 mph. Like a bullet from a gun, a chameleon's tongueshoots out with amazing accelerations to capture flies in midair. Animals like these are fascinating studies of physics and biology. How do these little guys pack so much speed compared to the rest of us? Animated gif of a chameleon tongue, photographed at the Peyrieras Reptile Reserve, Madagascar, July 2014. Image Credit: By SurreyJohn (CC BY-SA 4.0)...