Venus Flytraps Snap Their Traps Shut in Less Than a Second. Scientists Say They've Discovered How the Predatory Plants Are So Fast

Philiptdotcom via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0 Venus flytraps are iconic carnivorous plants. When an insect or spider touches trigger hairs on one of the plant’s jaw-like leaves, it snaps shut around the unsuspecting critter, which will then be digested. However, the exact mechanism behind the unbelievably fast closure has remained unclear.

Now, scientists say they’ve solved the mystery.

In a study published June 11 in the journal Science, a team reports that the chomping motion happens when rigid walls of cells on the leaves’ outer surface suddenly soften. The findings provide new insights into plant biology and could inspire new robotic designs.