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Immense physical strength powerful fangs and razor-sharp teeth are not the only weapons used in the animal kingdom. Thousands of animals use highly toxic poisons for attack or defense.

We present to your attention the ten most poisonous creatures in the world.

(Total 14 photos)

1. Box jellyfish

Main prize our top goes to Box Jellyfish ( Chironex fleckeri), which received this name because of its cubic shape. Over the past 60 years, this handsome man has claimed about 6 thousand lives. Its venom is considered the deadliest in the world, with toxins affecting the heart, nervous system and skin cells.

And, even worse, all this is accompanied by such hellish pain that the victims go into a state of shock and either drown or die from cardiac arrest. If you immediately treat the wound with vinegar or a solution of acetic acid, the victim has a chance, but, as a rule, vinegar cannot be found in water 😉

Box jellyfish can be found in sea ​​waters Asia and Australia.

2. King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the longest venomous snake in the world, reaching 5.6 meters in length. Ophiophagus literally translates to "snake eater" because it eats other snakes. A single bite from this deadly snake can easily kill a person. She can even kill an adult asian elephant within 3 hours if the animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

Among the representatives of snakes there are also more poisonous ones than the King Cobra, but it is capable of releasing much more poison than others. For example, 5 times more than the Black Mamba.
The king cobra is widespread in the dense mountain forests of the South and Southeast Asia.

3. Scorpio Leius quincestriatus

Contrary to popular belief, most scorpions are relatively safe for humans, since the stings only cause local effects (pain, anemia, swelling). However, Leiruses are very dangerous look scorpions because their venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins that causes intense and unbearable pain, followed by fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death.
Leiruses are common in North Africa and the Middle East.

4. Taipan or Fierce Snake (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)

Just one taipan bite contains enough venom to kill 100 adult humans or an army of 250,000 mice. Its extremely neurotoxic venom is at least 200-400 times more poisonous than that of a common cobra. In just 45 minutes after a bite, an adult can die. But fortunately, there is an antidote, and besides, this snake is very timid and immediately crawls away at the slightest danger.
Lives in Australia.

5. Tree frogs or Poisonous frogs

If you ever visit the rainforests of Central and South America, never touch the little ones. beautiful frogs- they can be extremely poisonous. For example, the size of the Golden Dart frog is only 5 cm, and the poison in it is enough to kill 10 adults.
In the old days, local tribes used the poison of these frogs to lubricate the tips of their arrows.

6. Blue Ringed Octopus (Australian Octopus)

The Blue Ringed Octopus is a small, golf ball-sized, but extremely poisonous creature that lives in coastal waters around Australia and a little further north towards Japan. The blue-ringed octopus is usually light in color, with dark brown bands along its eight legs and body, with blue circles, added on top of these dark brown groups. When an octopus is disturbed or taken out of the water, it darkens and the rings become shiny and electric blue, and it is this color change that gives the animal its name.

Its poison is strong enough to kill a person. In fact, the octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adults within a couple of minutes, and there is no antidote. If measures are not taken and treatment is not started, then the person begins to feel numbness, difficulty speaking, seeing, breathing problems arise, then complete paralysis and death occurs due to cardiac arrest and lack of oxygen.

7. Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider

This abomination was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2007 for being guilty of the greatest number human deaths caused by spider bites. What is important is that these spiders are dangerous not only for their poison, but also for their behavior: they do not sit still and do not weave webs, they wander the earth, hiding in buildings, clothes, shoes, cars, anywhere; which significantly increases the risk of unexpectedly meeting them and being bitten.

8. Ball Fish or Puffer

Ball fish is the second most poisonous vertebrate animal on earth (the first is the Golden Dart frog from point 5). The meat of some subspecies, for example Fugu, is a delicacy in Japan and Korea, but the problem is that the surface of the fish and certain of its organs are very poisonous. The venom of fugu causes paralysis, resulting in suffocation and death from lack of oxygen.
Therefore, only licensed chefs are allowed to cook such fish in Japan.

9. Marbled Cone Snail

The marbled cone snail looks beautiful and very cute, but it can be just as deadly as any other animal on this list. A drop of its poison can kill 20 people. Signs of a bite: severe pain, swelling, numbness, and in serious cases, paralysis and respiratory failure. There is no antidote.

However, over the entire period, about 30 cases of human deaths from the poison of this snail have been recorded, which is not very much compared to other representatives of our list.

10. Stone fish

The stonefish may never win a beauty contest, but it will definitely win the "Most Beautiful" award. poisonous fish" The poison causes such unbearable pain that in search of salvation from suffering, victims wish to amputate the affected area. It is believed that the bite of a stone fish provokes severe pain, known to man. The pain is accompanied by shock, paralysis, and tissue death.

If you do not get immediate medical help, the outcome can be fatal.

Stonefish store their toxins in hideous dorsal ridges, which are designed to protect them from predators.
It is widespread in the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, from the Red Sea to the Great Barrier Reef.

Many inquisitive people have most likely wondered what the most poisonous creature on earth is. I wonder what for a long time it was generally believed that these were snakes and spiders. But research by scientists has painted a different picture for us. And now we will look at what, in their opinion, is the most poisonous creature in the world. The top 10 offered below may be extremely surprising to some nature lovers.

First place - box jellyfish

The box jellyfish has another name - “sea wasp”, because after it stings, the victim experiences unbearable pain. Many would agree that this is the most poisonous creature in the world. The Guinness Book of Records also shares this point of view. This jellyfish has been reported to kill humans for short time, from 1 to 3 minutes. But this is not the only thing that makes her a terrible enemy. The deadly tentacles can simultaneously affect up to 60 people if they are within a radius of 8 meters. Extremely fast and irreversible. Toxins attack the heart muscle and nervous system, causing hellish pain. If the touch of the tentacles was superficial, severe burns remain.

There is an antidote. If you immediately treat the bite with a solution of acetic acid, there is a chance of survival, but this is usually not possible. Jellyfish victims drowned because they went into shock or died from cardiac arrest. Every year from poison sea ​​wasp About 6,000 vacationers die. Only a few people survived the bite, and they were still in pain weeks later.

This most poisonous creature in the world (photo shown above) lives in the waters of Northern Australia, but sometimes the “wasp” is found near South Asia. At the same time, it is quite difficult to see the object in the water, since the jellyfish merges. But there is a creature that is not afraid of the box jellyfish - the sea turtle.

Second place - king cobra

Some are ready to dispute that the most poisonous creature on earth is that there are snakes with more toxic poison. But in the Guinness book it takes an honorable second place due to how much poison it sprays at a time. It reaches a length of 4 meters, but since these cobras grow throughout their lives (and they can live 30 years), some individuals reach 6 meters.

The amount of venom injected depends on the size of the victim, but the dose is usually slightly larger than necessary to be lethal.

A case was recorded where he died within three hours Indian elephant because I was amazed king cobra. With a large amount of poison, a person dies within 15 minutes from paralysis and respiratory arrest. But even scarier is the fact that the cobra is capable of rising up to a third of its height. If its length is 5 meters, then it extends to 1.6 meters. But the good news is that they do not attack first (unless disturbed).

Its habitat is the forests of South Asia, but since active deforestation is underway, cobras are forced to move closer to human habitat.

Third place - Scorpio Leyurus

Another most poisonous creature in the world is the Leyurus scorpion, which is found in the territory North Africa, as well as in the Middle East. Although these scorpions are not aggressive and will not attack unless they sense danger, their venom can kill a person. Although in nature there are many dangerous scorpions, this subspecies is the most deadly. Leiruses carry a “cocktail” of neuroleptics; if it enters the bloodstream, the victim will die.

Initially, the stung area swells and the person feels incredible pain, after which a fever sets in, developing into convulsions. Finally, paralysis and death occur. It is interesting that before committing a deadly attack, the “baby” begins to move, as if dancing, and this warns of his intention.

Fourth place - taipan

Among the world's creatures is the taipan. The danger lies in the huge amount of poison that is released during the attack. This land snake is capable of killing 100 people. Its poisonous mixture is approximately 400 times more toxic than the venom of an ordinary cobra. After being bitten by an adult, death occurs on average within 45 minutes. About 90% of attacks on humans are fatal, even though an antidote exists and many people know about it.

This snake is very aggressive and can attack suddenly at a speed of 4 m/sec. But at the same time, taipans are quite timid and, sensing danger, can crawl away. This creature lives in Australia on arid plains, but often crawls towards water.

Fifth place - dart frog

Some believe that the most poisonous creature on the planet is the dart frog due to its deceptive appearance. She looks very attractive and completely defenseless, but this is a deception. Her skin of bright, rich color is covered with poison (batrachotoxin), which, when it comes into contact with a person through microscopic damage, easily penetrates the body. A gram of its poison can kill 10 people. This toxic substance consists of hundreds of components that have a nerve-paralytic effect. The scary thing is that the antidote has not yet been created and it is practically impossible to escape from the effects of the poison that gets on the skin.

Scientists know of 179 species of these “deceptive” creatures. They are divided into nocturnal (harmless) and daytime (toxic).

These poisonous amphibians can grow up to 8 cm. But the smallest ones (1.5 - 2.5 cm) are considered the most poisonous. They can be found in Central and South America in the rain forests. They are also called "dart frogs" because in the past Aboriginal people used their poison to lubricate arrowheads.

It is noteworthy that these creatures do not produce poison on their own; they get it from poisonous insects.

Sixth place - blue-ringed octopus

This ring-shaped octopus has also earned a place in the ranking of "the most poisonous creature on the planet." Although this creature is small in size, no larger than a baseball (weight 100 grams), it has a toxic and dangerous poison. One portion that the octopus releases at a time is enough to poison 25 people. Death can occur in a few minutes. During this time, the victim will begin to experience problems with vision and speech, and numbness will occur. Next, the person will have difficulty breathing. The next disastrous symptom is complete paralysis. Lack of oxygen and cardiac arrest will lead to death. It is impossible to neutralize the effect of the poison, since no antidote has been created.

This “cute” creature lives near the Australian and South Asian coasts. It is widespread and prefers shallow depths. But fortunately he leads nightlife, so it’s not easy to stumble across it. In addition, the creature has a calm disposition and attacks only if it is “pissed off.” Its ability to change color sometimes leads to incidents, because the octopus is confused with other harmless coastal inhabitants.

Seventh place - wandering spider

Another most poisonous creature in the world, which is feared without even knowing about its toxicity, is the wandering spider. He has a rather aggressive disposition. In addition, it is terrifying because it is the largest of all spiders in the world.

It can be found in tropical Central and South America, especially in banana plantations, but sometimes this creature gets into houses. It does not spin webs and travels on its own to find food, which is what makes it very dangerous. He can stop to rest in a residential building, hide in a car or clothes. As a result, the percentage of spider attacks is very high. This arthropod is not shy and is immediately ready to attack, so if you happen to encounter it, do not try to scare it, as it will not retreat; it is better for you to run.

The spider's venom causes lung spasms and loss of muscle control. The person may experience suffocation. Toxins also affect the lymphatic system and cardiac arrest can occur. The still living victim feels his body gradually becoming numb. The poison is 20 times more toxic than the black widow.

Interestingly, in the Guinness book this is the most poisonous creature in the world among spiders. It was also noted that more deaths occurred due to its fault than from other arthropods.

Eighth place - fugu

Of the vertebrates, this is the most poisonous creature in the world. Many people know it as ball fish. The entire surface of the fish is considered poisonous, and some organs of the fugu are also considered dangerous. A set of toxins causes paralysis and suffocation in the affected person, which in turn leads to death from insufficient oxygen. But despite this, in Korea and Japan this fish is a first-class delicacy. Given its dangerous composition, fugu can only be prepared by professionals who have received a special license.

Ninth place - cone snail

Some people, seeing this marbled snail, do not understand that it is a dangerous creature, since its appearance is very attractive. But you can’t judge by appearance, since she is just as dangerous as the rest of the representatives on this list. Just one drop of poison can kill 20 people. After the snail stings, the victim begins to experience excruciating pain, followed by numbness and inflammation of the bite site. The next stage is paralysis and suffocation. There is no cure for such poisoning.

But if you look at the statistics, only 30 deaths were recorded due to the fault of this snail.

Tenth place - stone fish

This unsightly creature takes last place rating "the most poisonous creature in the world." A bite of this underwater inhabitant provokes the most acute pain known to man. The sensations are so strong that in search of relief the victim is ready to commit suicide or amputation of the bitten area. Such pain causes shock, then paralysis inevitably occurs, and the tissues at the site of the lesion begin to die, without medical care the person is in danger of death.

This dangerous “beast” is found in the waters of the Red Sea and in the tropical regions of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

In nature, there are a huge number of substances that, on the one hand, are dangerous to health, and on the other hand, help to cure various diseases. It all depends on their quantity and concentration. When exposed to poisons in sufficiently small quantities, some of them help to recover from the most dangerous diseases, without any pathologies or consequences.

The most powerful poison

Poisons are quite diverse: some kill a person instantly, while the effects of others are very slow, gradually leading to death for the body. Some even cause severe pain and terrible suffering. There are a huge variety of them; the article lists the most dangerous ones. So dangerous that it is difficult to even determine which poison is the strongest.

Cyanide

Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives are a very dangerous substance for the human body. A very small amount of it can instantly kill a living organism. However, sugar can resist it; it is an antidote.

Anthrax poison

The bacteria that cause this life-threatening disease belong to the Bacillus anthracis family. They attack healthy cells, leading to their death. If a person has cutaneous form disease, then in 20% leads to death. When affected by the intestinal form anthrax 50% of victims die. The pulmonary form leaves virtually no chance for the patient to survive; doctors manage to save only 5%.

Sarin

This substance was obtained as a result of attempts to synthesize pesticides. It is very dangerous; when it enters the body, a person experiences severe suffering, which ultimately leads to death. This poison has been used for a long time as chemical weapons, until its production stopped in the 90s. But at present it is still used by terrorists and the military.

Amatoxins

These substances are contained in fly agaric mushrooms. A person can only feel symptoms after poison enters the body only after 10 hours or even the next day. Amatoxins have a detrimental effect on all organs, so in most cases poisoning is fatal. If a person managed to survive, then for the rest of his life he will be tormented by pain that arises due to internal organs damaged by these substances.

Mercury

This poison penetrates everything internal organs person. tends to accumulate, so with a small amount of it it very slowly poisons the body. When a person is poisoned by this substance, normal activities are disrupted. nervous system, a severe mental disorder ensues.

Strychnine

It was discovered by chemists back in the 19th century. Get it poisonous substance from chilibukha nuts. A large amount of it leads to severe poisoning. Subsequently, a slow death occurs, while the person suffers greatly and begins to have convulsions. If used in small quantities, strychnine is an excellent remedy for treating paralysis. One more thing useful property The fact is that this substance speeds up metabolism.

Tetrodotoxin

This poison is found in a Japanese fish called fugu. Its content has also been noted in the caviar and skin of animals that live in water in tropical zone, and its presence has also been recorded in the eggs of the Californian newt. Doctors are not always able to cure a person after ingesting this poison, and the mortality rate is high. However, most people still prefer to try this delicacy - fugu dishes. But even the most experienced chef is not immune to the fact that the fish he cooks will poison his visitors.

V-Ex

This poison is used by the military as a chemical weapon. It paralyzes the human body and also causes nervous breakdown. If a person inhales its vapors, or the substance gets on the skin, then painful death occurs in less than an hour.

Ricin

Obtained from plants. Its grains are very dangerous; if they enter the respiratory tract, they endanger human life. He dies if this substance enters the blood. Very powerful, stronger than even cyanide, and only due to technical problems it was not possible to use it as a chemical weapon mass destruction. But still, this poison is used by the military and terrorists.

Botulism toxin

Produced bacterial cells Clostridium botulinum, which are very dangerous to human health and life. When exposed to them, the body develops botulism. This poison is widely used in medicine: it is not large quantities added to medical supplies and also he received wide application during operations in which Botox is used. Perhaps botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison for humans.

The poisons described in the article have a detrimental effect on the body, causing death in most cases. And if the victim is able to be saved from intoxication with these substances, then for the rest of his life he will experience various consequences and health problems.

Some animals have the amazing ability to kill using toxic substances. chemical compounds, or poison. This method is considered one of the most cowardly, insidious and effective. In this article, you will discover 11 poisonous animals in the world that can easily kill an adult.

There are "passively" venomous animals (which transmit their venom by being eaten or attacked by other animals) and "actively" venomous (which inject venom into their victims using stingers, fangs or other devices.

The most poisonous amphibian: The terrible leaf climber

Lives only in rainwater tropical forests western part of Colombia. The poison of one frog can kill from 10 to 20 people. (Only one type of snake Liophis epinephelus, resistant to poison terrible leaf climber, however, when exposed to enough large quantity toxin, the reptile may die).

Interestingly, the terrible leaf climber produces its poison from its diet of native ants and beetles; specimens kept in captivity and feeding on fruit flies and other common insects are completely harmless.

Most poisonous spider: Brazilian wandering spider

If you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders), there is good and bad news for you about the Brazilian wandering spider. The good news is that these spiders live in tropical South America, and do not always inject a full dose of poison during a bite, and also rarely attack people; The even better news is that an effective antidote (if administered quickly) can prevent death. Bad news is that the spider's venom contains powerful neurotoxins that slowly paralyze and suffocate its victims, even in microscopic doses.

Men bitten by Brazilian wandering spiders often experience painful erections.

Most Poisonous Snake: McCoy's Taipan

The venom of this Australian snake is the most powerful among land snakes. Toxic substances contained in one individual can kill hundreds of adults. (Its venom consists of neurotoxins, hemotoxins, mycotoxins, and nephrotoxins. This means it can dissolve your blood, brain, muscles, and kidneys before you hit the ground.) Luckily, this poisonous snake rarely comes into contact with people, and even when she does (if you know how to interact with her), she becomes quite meek and easily tamed.

The most poisonous fish: Wart

This fish lives in shallow waters in the South Pacific Ocean. It looks ominously like a rock or piece of coral (the camouflage is meant to ward off predators) and if stepped on, the wart injects a powerful dose of toxins into the person's foot.

Australian authorities are actively replenishing supplies of antidotes, so there is a high probability of saving lives (provided that the antidote is administered in a timely manner).

Most Poisonous Insect: Maricopa Ant

Maricopa Ants ( Pogonomyrmex maricopa) enough dangerous insects. About 300 bites of these ants can cause death in an adult. Their venom is much stronger than that of hornets and honey bees. One bite of such an ant causes acute pain that lasts about 4 hours.

Fortunately, it is virtually impossible to accidentally step on a Maricopa ant colony and end up getting stung by hundreds; These insects are known to build nests with a diameter of about 9 m and a height of up to 2 m!

The most poisonous jellyfish: Sea wasp

Box jellyfish (jellyfish characterized by a rectangular bell shape) are by far the most dangerous invertebrate animals in the world, and the sea wasp ( Chironex fleckeri) is considered the most poisonous looking jellyfish on the planet. The tentacles of the sea wasp are covered with nematocytes - stinging cells, which, upon contact, cause burns.

Most people who come into contact with a sea wasp's tentacles experience excruciating pain, but a close encounter with this species can kill you in five minutes.

Most poisonous mammal: Platypus

Of course, platypus venom will not cause death to a person, but it will cause severe pain and swelling. Its poison is capable of killing small animals. On the hind limbs of males there are spurs (about 15 mm long) that contain poison. Most often, males use these spurs to fight each other during the breeding season.

Others poisonous mammals are: 3 species from the shrew family and the Cuban slittooth ( Solenodon cubanus).

The most poisonous mollusk: Marble cone

If you've never used the phrase "predatory sea snail," then you clearly don't know enough about the sea creatures that can kill you with a single bite. This mollusk is capable of paralyzing its prey (including other snails of the genus Conus) using toxic poison, which can easily kill an unwary person.

Unfortunately, no one has ever calculated how much poison can harm an adult.

Most poisonous bird: Bicolored blackbird flycatcher

The bicolored blackbird flycatcher from New Guinea contains a powerful poison called batrachotoxin. It is found in the skin and feathers of birds and can cause mild numbness and tingling in humans, but is much more dangerous for small animals. (Apparently blackbird flycatchers synthesize poison from beetles included in their diet (these beetles are also included in the diet of dart frogs).

Another well-known poisonous bird is the common quail, the meat of which (if the bird has consumed a plant of a certain species) can lead to a non-fatal disease for humans called coturnism.

Most poisonous octopus: Blue-ringed octopus

Blue-ringed octopuses live in Indian and Pacific Oceans and have rather modest sizes (the largest individuals rarely exceed 20 cm). Their bite is almost painless, but the venom causes paralysis and can kill an adult within just a few minutes.

There is currently no antidote for blue-ringed octopus bites.

Most poisonous turtle: Hawksbill

Unlike some of the other animals on this list, the hawksbill turtle is not miniature: adults weigh about 80 kg, about the same as the average person. These turtles are distributed throughout the world, and individuals from Southeast Asia that eat toxic algae have poisonous meat that can cause poisoning in humans (symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other intestinal ailments).

These turtles are endangered and protected by law.

There are many poisons of various natures in the world. Some of them act almost instantly, others can torment the victim of poisoning for years, slowly destroying him from the inside. True, the concept of poison has no clear boundaries. It all depends on concentration. And often the same substance can act both as a deadly poison and as one of the most necessary components for maintaining life. A striking example Vitamins are of such duality - even a slight excess of their concentration can completely destroy health or kill on the spot. Here we propose to take a look at 10 substances that are classified as pure poisons, and are among the most dangerous and fast-acting.

(Total 10 photos)

Cyanides are called quite large group hydrocyanic acid salts. They are all, like the acid itself, extremely poisonous. In the last century, both hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride were used as chemical warfare agents and were responsible for tens of thousands of deaths.

Potassium cyanide is also famous for its extreme toxicity. Just 200-300 mg of this white powder, resembling in appearance granulated sugar, enough to kill an adult in just a few seconds. Thanks to such a small dosage and incredibly quick death, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goering and other Nazis chose this poison to die.

They tried to poison Grigory Rasputin with this poison. True, the poisoners mixed cyanide into sweet wine and cakes, not knowing that sugar is one of the most powerful antidotes for this poison. So in the end they had to use the gun.

2. Bacillus anthrax

Anthrax is a very severe, rapidly developing disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. There are several forms of anthrax. The most “harmless” one is the skin one. Even without treatment, the mortality rate from this form does not exceed 20%. The intestinal form kills about half of those sick, but the pulmonary form is almost certain death. Even with the help the latest techniques modern doctors manage to save no more than 5% of patients.

Sarin was created by German scientists trying to synthesize a powerful pesticide. But this dark glory deadly poison, which causes quick but very painful death, was acquired not in agricultural fields, but as a chemical weapon. Sarin was produced by the ton for military purposes for decades, and it was only in 1993 that its production was banned. But, despite calls for the complete destruction of all reserves of this substance, both terrorists and the military still use it in our time.

4. Amatoxins

Amatoxins are a whole group of protein poisons contained in poisonous mushrooms of the Amanitaceae family, including in the deadly pale grebe. The particular danger of these poisons lies in their “slowness”. Once they enter the human body, they immediately begin their destructive activity, but the victim begins to feel the first discomfort no earlier than 10 hours later, and sometimes several days later, when it is already very difficult for doctors to do anything. Even if such a patient can be saved, he will still suffer for the rest of his life from painful dysfunctions of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

5. Strychnine

Strychnine is found in large quantities in nuts tropical tree chilibuha. It was from them that it was obtained in 1818 by the French chemists Pelletier and Cavantou. In small doses, strychnine can be used as a medicine that increases metabolic processes, improves heart function and treats paralysis. It was even actively used as an antidote for barbiturate poisoning.

However, this is one of the most strong poisons. Its lethal dose is even less than the famous potassium cyanide, but it acts much more slowly. Death from strychnine poisoning occurs after about half an hour of terrible agony and severe convulsions.

Mercury is extremely dangerous in all its manifestations, but its vapors and soluble compounds cause especially great harm. Even small amounts of mercury entering the body cause severe damage to the nervous system, liver, kidneys and the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Upon entering the body small quantities mercury, the poisoning process is gradual, but inevitable, since this poison is not eliminated, but, on the contrary, accumulates. In ancient times, mercury was widely used for the production of mirrors, as well as felt for hats. Chronic poisoning with mercury vapor, expressed in behavioral disorders up to complete insanity, was at that time called “the old hatter’s disease.”

7. Tetrodotoxin

This extremely strong poison is found in the liver, milk and caviar of the famous puffer fish, as well as in the skin and caviar of some species of tropical frogs, octopuses, crabs and in the caviar of the Californian newt. Europeans first became acquainted with the effects of this poison in 1774, when the crew on James Cook's ship ate an unknown tropical fish, and the slops from dinner were given to the ship's pigs. By morning, all the people were seriously ill, and the pigs died.

Tetrodotoxin poisoning is very serious, and even today doctors manage to save less than half of all those poisoned.

It is interesting to note that the famous Japanese delicacy fugu fish is prepared from fish that contains the most dangerous toxin exceeds lethal doses for humans. Lovers of this treat literally entrust their lives to the art of the cook. But no matter how hard the chefs try, accidents cannot be avoided, and every year several gourmets die after eating gourmet dish.

Ricin is an extremely powerful poison plant origin. The greatest danger is inhaling its smallest grains. Ricin is about 6 times more powerful a poison than potassium cyanide, but it has not been used as a weapon of mass destruction due to purely technical difficulties. But various intelligence services and terrorists “love” this substance very much. Politicians and public figures with enviable regularity they receive letters stuffed with ricin. True, it rarely comes to this fatal outcome, since the penetration of ricin through the lungs is quite low. For a 100% result, it is necessary to inject ricin directly into the blood.

9. Vi-Ex (VX)

VX, or, as it is also called, VI gas, belongs to the category of chemical warfare gases that have a nerve-paralytic effect. It was also born as a new pesticide, but soon the military began to use it for their own purposes. Symptoms of poisoning with this gas appear within one minute after inhalation or contact with the skin, and death occurs within 10-15 minutes.

10. Botulism toxin

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which are the causative agents of the most dangerous disease - botulism. This is the most powerful poison of organic nature and one of the strongest poisons in the world. In the last century, botulinum toxin was part of the arsenals of chemical weapons, but at the same time, active research was conducted regarding its use in medicine. And today a huge number of people who want to at least temporarily restore the smoothness of their skin are experiencing the influence of this the most terrible poison, which is part of the most popular medicinal product"Botox", which once again confirms the truth famous saying the great Paracelsus: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose.”