The Cigarette Snail

Today there was an Oceanography lecture on the ship and I learned about yet more things in Australia that want to kill you!  The oceans around Australia contain cone snails, nicknamed cigarette snails, because after you touch one you have enough time to smoke one cigarette before you die.  Lovely.  When the venom of the cone snail was analyzed researchers discovered that each component in the venom attacks a different part of the human body (making it very comprehensive and deadly).  Interestingly, scientists have been able to manipulate the venom and turn it into a painkiller that is 100 times stronger than morphine and not addictive.  Our presenter said it is the future of medicine.   How’s that for a crazy fact for the day?