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What on Earth?
The blue-ringed octopus: small, vibrant and exceptionally deadly
Blue-ringed octopuses are stunning animals. But their flashy rings are not an idle threat.
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What on Earth?
What happens when you're bitten by a venomous snake?
Snakebite is one of the world's deadliest neglected health issues. But what does venom actually do to you?
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News
Endangered penguins stung to death by bee swarm in South Africa
Officials are investigating after over 60 endangered penguins were reportedly stung to death by bees.
20 September 2021 -
What on Earth?
Velvet ants: flamboyant and fuzzy with extreme PPE
Meet the delightfully fuzzy wasps with an arsenal of defences that make them nearly impervious to attacks by hungry predators.
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Science news
Centipedes have borrowed proteins in their venom from bacteria and fungi
Toxic proteins from bacteria have helped centipedes with their own arsenel.
5 February 2021 -
Science news
Centipedes evolved complex venom five times
Analysis of centipede venom reveals a huge difference between the groups.
23 September 2019 -
What on Earth?
Drugs, Beetox and the black market: how do we depend on venomous creatures?
We may be relying on venom and the animals that produce it more often than we think.
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British wildlife
What do wasps do?
Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?
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British wildlife
Should we be scared of British snakes?
There are four species of snake found in Britain - but are they dangerous to humans?
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What on Earth?
The man who injects himself with venom
Steve Ludwin explains why he has been injecting himself with snake venom for decades.
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What on Earth?
Face-to-face with spitting cobras
Have you ever seen a cobra spit venom in super slow motion?
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What on Earth?
The sting of love
Meet some of the animals whose search for a mate may actually be physically painful.
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Collections
The platypus puzzle
Watch Dr Ronald Jenner explore the venomous puzzle that the platypus poses.
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What on Earth?
Can frogs be venomous?
Meet the amphibians with an unusual defence tactic.
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What on Earth?
Killer bees: a deadly swarm
Are killer bees really as dangerous as their name suggests?
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What on Earth?
Mastering venom
From snake-filled projectiles and medieval remedies to the very first antivenom, our relationship with venomous creatures has a colourful history.
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British wildlife
How dangerous are false widow spiders?
Every autumn there are reports of false widow spiders becoming uninvited eight-legged houseguests across the UK.
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What on Earth?
Grinch bugs: the heartless insects making a meal of Christmas
Better watch out - these insects consider your seasonal decor their dinner.
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What on Earth?
Nudibranchs: How sea slugs steal venom
Meet the brightly coloured sea slugs committing serial stinging-cell crimes.
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Behind the scenes: The making of Venom
Go behind the scenes to find out what it takes put on a major exhibition at the Museum.
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News
The venomous animals on your plate
Venomous creatures are everywhere - including in your dinner.
8 November 2017 -
What on Earth?
Gila monster: meet the lizard whose venomous bite is saving lives
Find out how the Gila monster's venom has the ability to save lives.
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What on Earth?
Bite or be bitten: what is the difference between poison and venom?
Venom and poison can both be deadly, but they're two distinct natural weapons.
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What on Earth?
Do vampire bats drink blood?
Do vampire bats really deserve their blood-sucking reputation?
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What on Earth?
Five surprisingly venomous animals
Find out about five animals that you might not expect to be venomous
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What on Earth?
Tarantula hawks: The most painful wasp sting in the world explained
Armed with one of the most painful stings on the planet, tarantula hawks are a spider's worst nightmare.
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Risking life and limb for venom
Some of our scientists go to extreme lengths for their research, diving into deep and dangerous underwater caves.
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News
Fishing-bait bloodworms have bee-sting bites
Scientists studying the venom of bloodworms for the first time have discovered why it can cause severe allergic reactions similar to that of a bee sting.
6 September 2014