Imagine that the environment forces you to acquire superpowers. Sounds incredible? Then get acquainted with living organisms, which have developed supernatural powers in the course of evolution!
Frost-resistant super cockroaches
New Yorkers remember the story of the Asian cockroach that was found in 2013 in Manhattan's High Line Park. The insect turned out to be frost-resistant and felt great at low temperatures and during snowfall. The disinsector who found the insect sent it for analysis to the University of Florida (USA). They found out that the tarkan belongs to the species Periplaneta japonica. An insect of this species was discovered in the United States for the first time. Scientists believe that it arrived in the park along with oriental plants.
For almost 20 years, Japanese scientists have bred the larvae of this species and studied their resistance to survival in the snow. The species has flooded Korea and China, and it has been confirmed that these cockroaches can survive in cold climates. Therefore, it is very likely that the insect could live in winter New York. But cockroaches from Asia did not flood New York. They were not allowed to do this by local species.
Poison-resistant rats the size of a cat
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In 2014, residents of Liverpool in England spotted a giant rat. They called the rodent-shooting service. Some of the rats caught were the size of a cat. But the rodents were not just huge, they were immune to poison. Rat catchers reported a 15% increase in calls about rats and that rodents were not affected by common poison (the use of a stronger substance requires legal approval). Research has shown that genetic mutations have produced a new species of superrat, which now makes up 75% of the rat population in parts of England.
Asian super ants
The so-called super ant from Asia was found in Gloucestershire, England in 2009, and wildlife experts have sounded the alarm. Fire alarm. The ants were attracted to electricity and settled in outlets and power sources, creating a fire hazard. Ants, an invasive species relatively new to Europe, tend to settle in huge populations. More than 35 thousand "fire-hazardous" insects have been found in Gloucestershire.
Killer bees
African bees reached the Western Hemisphere when they were imported to Brazil in 1956 for interspecies crossing with local bees. The goal was to produce more honey, but a few years later, swarms of bees and several dozen queens fled and formed hybrid populations with European bees. Mutants have spread to the north of South and Central America and now live even in the southern United States.
Also known as Africanized insects, the insects have earned their nickname - killer bees. They are dangerous because they attack intruders in flocks larger than those of European honeybees. In Brazil, they killed 1,000 people. The victims received 10 times more stings than the European bee. Africanized bees react to an invasion 10 times faster than "Europeans" and will chase a person up to 400 meters.
Africanized bee (Mellifera scutellata).
Catfish that hunts pigeons
Along the Tarn River in France, catfish love to feast on birds, specifically pigeons. But how can a fish hunt birds? Watch the video and find out! The catfish lie in shallow water and wait for the pigeon to fly close enough. Then they jump out of the water, stretch out on the bank and rush back into the river. Ideally, with a caught bird.
Drug-resistant bacteria
Antibiotics - one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century - saved millions of lives. But now antibiotic-resistant bacteria are popping up all over the world. Why is that? The crisis in antibiotic resistance has been attributed to overuse and misuse of drugs, as well as underdevelopment of new drugs by the pharmaceutical industry (not to mention the rapid evolution of microorganisms). Two million people become infected each year with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and about 23,000 of them die. Thus, this super is the most dangerous on the list.