Superheroes in popular comics are a product of the creators' imaginations and are at the peak of their popularity today. However, if you think about it, all superpowers existed long before the characters themselves. The prototypes were "our smaller brothers"—the animals and insects that inhabit the planet, whom evolution and living conditions have endowed with the powers of superheroes.
Animals with retractable "blades" like Wolverine's
The superhero Wolverine has enhanced senses, the ability to quickly heal wounds, super-speed, and the ability to release blades from his hands.
Felids possess this entire set: quick reflexes, almost unbelievable hearing and sense of smell, excellent vision, and a true combat weapon that they always carry—sharp and merciless claws.
The hairy frog also deserves the honorary title of superhero. When threatened, it sprouts claws made entirely of bone from its paws, like Wolverine's. Scientists are still baffled as to how the claws appear and disappear. Perhaps the amphibian has the ability to rapidly regenerate tissue.
Animals that 'see' sound waves like Daredevil
The creators taught the blind character Daredevil to sense sound vibrations. Bats are no match for the superhero. Using echolocation, they detect high-frequency sound signals, navigate in space, and locate objects.
Dolphins and whales also rely on hearing, although their vision is well developed. Underwater visibility is severely limited, so these mammals use high-frequency sounds, producing clicks of a specific duration.
With the help of echolocation, cetaceans obtain food, communicate with each other, and warn each other of danger.
Whales perceive sound waves with a frequency above 100 kHz: for comparison, humans can hear sounds with a frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Animals as strong as the Hulk
What would a superhero team be without a strongman? The Universe's roster includes the Hulk, who possesses incredible strength.
In the animal kingdom, the Hercules beetle fits this role. Like the mythical Heracles, it can lift 850 times its own weight.
The strength of ants can be judged by imagining how these small weightlifters, weighing 5-7 milligrams, are capable of moving and carrying objects that are 50 times their own weight.
Animals capable of regeneration
One of the popular superpowers among comic book characters is the regeneration of body parts.
Planarians, harmless flatworms that live wherever there's water, are perhaps the most striking example of regeneration in the animal kingdom. If a worm is divided into several parts, each part forms a new organism. Even the head regenerates.
Salamanders can completely regenerate any limb. Starfish also possess this superpower. Even if one arm is eaten, it'll grow a new one.
The aquatic amphibian axolotl can regenerate any damaged body part without leaving marks or scars. Furthermore, it is the only vertebrate that can regrow eyes, jaws, and damaged brain fragments.
Animals that can rival the Flash in speed
The fictional superhero Flash, also known as "Lightning, Flash," has the ability to travel faster than the speed of light.
The Paratarsotomus macropalpis tick is considered the fastest tick in the animal kingdom relative to its body length. It can travel hundreds of times its body length in a second.
The needle-tailed swift is the fastest bird, reaching speeds of up to 170 km/h. The peregrine falcon flies more slowly, but when diving for prey, it can reach speeds of up to 390 km/h.
Animals with better aim than Green Arrow
Another animal with a superpower is the archerfish. When hunting for food, this small fish spits a powerful jet of water, knocking down its target, then leaps up with lightning speed to snatch the falling insect. Its accuracy is so high that missing is almost impossible. What's amazing is that this tiny fish is able to perfectly angle and calculate the power of its shot!
Pistol shrimp are true marksmen. Their claws contain enough muscle power to propel a jet of water at 110 km/h. The blast is accompanied by a flash and a sound exceeding 50 decibels, and its power heats the water to the temperature of the sun.
No less interesting is the horned lizard, which, when escaping from enemies, shoots blood from its eyes, which has an unpleasant taste, which confuses the predator.
The ninja snail accurately fires "love arrows" made of calcium carbonate and hormones at potential partners. These love arrows encourage the partner to reproduce.
Creatures that can clone themselves
Some animals, at risk of being eaten, clone themselves.
That is, they reproduce by dividing into two parts, which then become isolated and develop independently. Thus, starfish clone themselves without much effort.
Moreover, the cloned star is healthier, lives longer, and is practically not subject to aging.
Animals that change their appearance like Mystic
Some organisms are known to be able to alter the structure or appearance of their bodies. Chameleons, cuttlefish, jellyfish, frogs…
But the mimic octopus, a master of transformation, surpasses all in ingenuity. When threatened, the mimic "plays" the roles of a wide variety of poisonous and dangerous seafloor inhabitants—rays, jellyfish, crabs, sea snakes, and more.
Selecting a "role" depending on the situation, it instantly blends into the environment, changing color to mimic the appearance and behavior of its enemies. Within seconds, the mime octopus can not only maintain its "image" but also transform into several other sea creatures.
