Experiment time. Put some water into a container. A bowl, bucket, or even a sink will do. Now take a pencil. Dip the pencil halfway into the water. Does that straight pencil suddenly look bent in the middle? 

This trick is called light refraction. And this scientific occurrence can make spearfishing a tricky sport. A fish might look like it’s in one place. But try stabbing your spear at that spot. You will probably miss. Expert spearfishers learn to judge distance and angle through water. 

What causes refraction? Light travels through air differently than through water. Light rays reach our eyes in a straight line. When they hit water, they bend. This creates the bent pencil illusion. It also makes things appear closer to the surface than they really are. 

So how do spearfishing aficionados aim true? 

Here’s one trick: Wear polarized sunglasses. These lenses reduce the effect of light refraction. They also help the wearer see through the water’s surface. 

Another trick: Aim low. Remember how refraction makes fish appear closer to the surface? By aiming a few inches low, you might hit your target. 

Humans aren’t the only hunters to figure this out. Meet the archerfish. The archerfish spits a powerful stream of water. The stream knocks an insect off a branch above. The prey drops into the water! Then the archerfish gobbles it up. 

This hunting method requires expert aim. It’s sort of like upside-down spearfishing! The archerfish stays under the surface. Its prey is above the surface. To catch dinner, the archerfish must adjust for light refraction. That’s one clever fish! Doesn’t God give His creatures amazing abilities?