Snakes
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Scientists have shown that the simple zig-zag pattern on the back of the European viper serves three different purposes; it helps it avoid detection; warns predators off if noticed; and can hide the snake's movement if it has to flee.
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When someone gets bitten by a venomous snake, it's crucial to administer an antivenom as soon as possible. In order to keep the victim going in the meantime, though, it turns out that an existing medication may do the trick.
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When it comes to human interactions with venomous snakes, we tend to think of that venom as something that was "designed" mainly for defense. A new study, however, suggests that it evolved first and foremost as a means of killing prey.
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Engineers from Johns Hopkins have looked to how snakes move around to inform the design of a nimble new robot. It is hoped that the development could lead to search and rescue bots able to tackle all kinds of obstacles with ease.
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New research has found a toxin extracted from the venom of a South American rattlesnake can function as an effective analgesic for neuropathic pain. The Brazilian study reveals the venom’s toxicity can be reduced by encapsulating it in tiny silica particles.
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Although snake venom generally has a nasty effect on people, it's also used in the production of antivenoms and other medications. It could soon be much easier to acquire, as scientists have grown mini venom-producing glands in the lab.
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A new article is reporting the first results of a genetic study into the DNA of the novel coronavirus spreading across the globe. The research suggests the virus may have originated in snakes, which were sold at the market where the outbreak began.
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Sea snakes may be able to "breathe" underwater, thanks to a gill-like network of blood vessels in their heads.
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For several years now, we've been hearing about "microneedle patches" that deliver medication less painfully and more safely than hypodermic needles. A new take on the technology may allow them to work even better, by copying the structure of venomous snakes' fangs.
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We've all heard about ancient insects getting preserved in amber (fossilized tree resin), with similarly-preserved items including dinosaur feathers, mammalian red blood cells and a bizarre spider. Now, for the first time, scientists have found an amber-encased prehistoric snake.
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With bacteria becoming ever more resistant to our best antibiotics, scientists are searching high and low for new ones in nature. Now a team from Australia and Spain have discovered a promising peptide in the venom of the South American Rattlesnake.
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Ordinarily, turtle-headed sea snakes have black skin with white bands. In a recent study, however, it was discovered that snakes living on reefs near the city were almost pure black. It turns out that they've evolved to shed pollutants that bind to the melanin in black skin.
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