How quickly can nematocysts fire microscopic, barbed harpoons into the skin upon contact?
Answer
Less than a millionth of a second
The venom delivery system of the box jellyfish is incredibly fast. The nearly transparent tentacles are covered in millions of microscopic stinging cells called nematocysts. When these cells are triggered by physical contact, they function as sophisticated delivery mechanisms, instantly firing microscopic, barbed harpoons designed to inject the potent venom into the victim's tissue almost instantaneously, occurring in less time than one millionth of a second.
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