Yet it would be quite a stretch to call poison ivy venomous (and anyway, we’d have to start calling it “venom ivy,” wouldn’t we?). On the other hand, nettles, a group of about 80 species belonging to the genus Urtica, might actually qualify as venomous. These plants have raised...
Some species of frogs, however, have evolved poison glands in their skin. In most cases, these toxins aren't strong enough to discourage predators. But certain frogs in Central and South America, like poison dart frogs, have especiallystrong poisons in their skin. What happens if a poison da...
Here’s the obvious thing aboutpoisonandvenom: you don’t want either one in your body. But after that, things can get confusing. Although the two words are sometimes used interchangeably in casual use, a distinction is made between them in scientific contexts. In this article, we’ll look...
While both of these animals are capable of doing some serious damage to the human body, they deliver their dangerous toxins in different ways. Rose Eveleth sheds light on the distinction between poison and venom (and why you shouldn't treat either one like you've seen in the movies)....
While venom must be injected into the bloodstream of a victim in order to be lethal, poison has lethal characteristics when its ingested. That’s the basic and most important difference between venom and poison. In the wild, every animal is either a predator waiting to kill another ...
Also, the mongoose can tolerate a little bit of snake venom. Even plants can be counted as venomous or toxic. Poison ivy is correctly named, as its toxin is delivered by merely touching its leaves. Stinging nettles are venomous, if you're being generous with the term, because they deliver...
Meaning of Toxin A chemical agent that harms an organism is referred to as a toxin. An ion or an atom that negatively affects a cell might be considered poison. Poison can also take the shape of intricate molecules, such as the proteins in snake venom. Still, other atoms and substances ...
A bee bagged with his honeyed venom. Bag To swell or hang down like a full bag; as, the skin bags from containing morbid matter. Bag To swell with arrogance. Bag To become pregnant. Bag A flexible container with a single opening; He stuffed his laundry into a large bag Bag The quanti...
No. Millipedes aren't known for being aggressive, and they don't employ venom to immobilize prey. If threatened, millipedes will typically coil up until the threat has gone. Sometimes they'll secrete a foul-smelling toxin. If you suspect a severe reaction from coming in contact with this ...
Venomous black widow spider bites, snake bites, and jellyfish stings certainly sound more dangerous than contact poisons, but in terms of worldwide exposure, the more dangerous of the two is undoubtedly animal poison, since it doesn't require animals to take an active role in the toxin deliver...