Animal Superpowers, Ranked: The Tier List

Animal superpowers are real, and some are stranger than anything in a comic book. We ranked eight of them, from electric eels to opossums. Here's the science behind each one, and the tier each earned.

Electric Eel: 860 Volts (S)

In 2019, scientists described a new electric eel species, Volta's electric eel, and measured a discharge of 860 volts, the strongest recorded in any animal, according to their study in Nature Communications.

Dung Beetle: Navigates by the Milky Way (B)

A 2013 study in Current Biology showed that dung beetles use the band of light from the Milky Way to roll their balls in a straight line on moonless nights. Magnificent. It's still dung.

Bombardier Beetle: Near-Boiling Spray (A)

The bombardier beetle mixes chemicals in a reaction chamber and fires a hot, irritating spray in rapid pulses. A 2015 study in Science filmed the mechanism with X-rays. Rude. Effective.

Immortal Jellyfish: Ages Backward (C)

Turritopsis dohrnii can turn from an adult back into a young polyp, which is why it's called immortal. In practice, most get eaten or die of disease long before that matters.

Peregrine Falcon: About 200 mph (B)

Peregrines are often cited as the fastest animal on Earth, reaching over 200 miles per hour in a hunting dive. Only downhill, though.

Wood Frog: Freezes Solid (A)

In winter, much of a wood frog's body water turns to ice. It has no heartbeat or breathing while frozen. In spring, it thaws and hops away.

Axolotl: Regrows Body Parts (S)

Axolotls can regrow lost limbs and even parts of their eyes, heart and brain, which makes them a favorite of regeneration researchers.

Opossum: Plays Dead (F, Then S)

The Virginia opossum's playing-possum act isn't really a choice. It's an involuntary response to extreme fear. It goes limp, can release a foul-smelling fluid, and may stay that way for hours, which can put predators off. It fooled the panel, so it went from F to S.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What animal has the strongest electric shock?

Volta's electric eel, described in 2019, produced 860 volts, the highest discharge measured in any animal.

Is the immortal jellyfish really immortal?

It can revert to a young polyp, so in theory it could repeat its life cycle, but most die from predators or disease.

Why do opossums play dead?

It's an involuntary reaction to extreme fear. The limp, smelly act can make predators lose interest.

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Sources

• de Santana et al. (2019), Nature Communications: Unexpected Species Diversity in Electric Eels: 860 volts
• Dacke et al. (2013), Current Biology: Dung Beetles Use the Milky Way for Orientation: Milky Way navigation
• Arndt et al. (2015), Science: Mechanistic Origins of Bombardier Beetle Explosion-Induced Defensive Spray Pulsation: the spray
• Wikipedia: Turritopsis dohrnii: the immortal jellyfish
• Wikipedia: Peregrine Falcon: diving speed
• Wikipedia: Wood Frog: freeze tolerance
• Wikipedia: Virginia Opossum: playing dead
• Wikipedia: Axolotl: regeneration

More true animal stories: From Paw to Tail Blog

Cover photo: ZeWrestler via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.