Chemical agents are used in medicine, the agricultural industry, the military and, unfortunately, in terrorist operations. The most powerful poison on the planet is determined according to various criteria: origin, duration of action, degree of spread, area affected, type of substance (solid, liquid, gas). Many factors influence the strength of action; it is impossible to give it an unambiguous assessment. The rating collected popular and little-known toxins.
Cyanide
What does potassium cyanide look like (photo)Cyanides are a large group of substances of organic and inorganic nature. Not the most dangerous, but the most common poisons. These include hydrocyanic acid and its salts. They enter the body through the skin, respiratory tract or with food.
Hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide, formula HCN) used in the 20th century by the French and fascists during wars. In America they were used in prison gas chambers. A poisonous, colorless, volatile liquid with a characteristic odor is found in plants and coke oven gas. Released when smoking, thermal exposure to polyurethanes and nylon. Death occurs within 5 - 15 minutes from 0.5 mg/kg orally and at air concentrations above 0.011%. Banned by the Geneva Convention since 1949.
What does hydrocyanic acid look like (photo) Gained particular popularity potassium cyanide (potassium salt of hydrocyanic acid, formula KCN). The substance is similar in appearance to powdered sugar. Lethal outcome occurs after use of 140–170 mg/kg. Interestingly:
- The poison caused the death of Rasputin and Hitler;
- in 1982 A poisoner was operating in the USA. The maniac added cyanide to medications that killed at least 7 people;
- Sulfur and sugar help with poisoning. There are antidotes in medicine.
Sarin
A colorless liquid with a faint odor of blossoming apple trees, developed for agricultural needs in 1938. But it quickly found application in the military operations of the Nazis. Affects the nervous system through all routes of exposure. Lethal contact through the skin is 0.12 mg/l or a concentration of 0.075 mg/l in air. The man dies in agony and convulsions.
Since 1993 the substance is on the prohibited list. On June 12, 2017, the Russian media reported about the complete destruction of liquid reserves in the country. It continues to be used by terrorists and the military. On August 21, 2013, at least 280 people were killed by sarin gas in Syria.
Treatment begins at the first symptoms. The person is isolated from the damaging agent. The body is treated with a weak alkali solution, the stomach is washed. The victim will undergo long-term treatment with antidotes.
Alpha Latrotoxin
The poison is produced by spiders of the karakurt family. Females pose the greatest danger. The strength of the toxic substance depends on the season: in the spring its penetration into the body causes more severe consequences than in the fall. There are 31 species of insects in nature. The notorious female steppe karakurt is the black widow. Insects live in tropical, subtropical, and temperate latitudes. There are populations in Crimea.
Lethal outcomes are rarely recorded, because A serum has been developed that neutralizes the poison. Deaths occur among those bitten in children and the elderly. Lethal dose – 0.045 mg/kg.
The poison is absorbed into the blood within 15-60 minutes and affects the neuromuscular tissue. Accompanied by pain in the abdomen, chest, lower back; shortness of breath, hypertension, dizziness, dilated pupils. Death occurs from heart failure and respiratory dysfunction.
Toadstool toxins
30 grams of toadstool eaten kills a person The most poisonous mushroom in the world contains aminotoxins and phalloidins. Poisons destroy the liver and kidneys. The danger of poisoning lies in the prolonged absence of symptoms.
The manifestation of the toxin is noticeable after 6-24 hours. Symptoms: severe abdominal pain, fainting, dizziness, diarrhea. On the third day, a false improvement in well-being occurs, while the destruction of the body continues. Death occurs within 10 days from cardiovascular failure.
The antidote is an injectable form of silibinin. Due to the late diagnosis, there is a high probability of death from 30 grams of eaten mushroom.
Ricin
The most dangerous poison, ricin, is extracted from castrum beans. The white powder is obtained from castor beans. Odorless, soluble in water. It has a destructive effect on protein synthesis processes. The effect of the toxin on the body has been studied since the First World War. Damage to the body is possible both through inhalation and when it enters the blood directly.
In 1978 Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died from an umbrella injection. The tip contained a capsule containing ricin. In 2001 and 2003 the use of the substance by terrorists became known. In 2009 intelligence agencies prevented the sending of letters containing ricin to the US president and politicians.
Symptoms appear within 24 hours if inhaled and 10 hours if ingested through food. The lethal dose is 0.03 mg/kg. Ricin affects the respiratory tract and heart. Death occurs within 6–8 days. Treatment involves intoxication and symptomatic therapy.
Tetrodotoxin
Fugu fish produces tetradotoxin The poison is known throughout the world thanks to the Japanese delicacy - fugu fish dish. The toxin is contained in 50% of the fish carcass: skin, liver, milk, caviar. Cooking is trusted only to experienced chefs who can cook fish without damaging the poisonous organs.
Summer 2010 flocks of fugu visited the Primorsky region. Two Khabarovsk residents caught fish and fried it over a fire. Both died of anaphylactic shock. In addition to pufferfish, the toad Atelopus Varius and the mollusk Babilonia Japonica accumulate the toxin.
The poison has a neuroparalytic effect. Within half an hour, severe abdominal pain, itching of the tongue and lips, vomiting and nausea appear. If detoxification is not done in a timely manner, breathing becomes difficult and aphonia develops. A person is doomed to die within 6 hours from paralysis of the respiratory muscles after consuming 0.008 mg/kg of the substance.
Palytoxin
Palytoxin is produced by coral - zoantaria Contained in zoantharia - six-rayed corals. Of the non-protein toxic compounds, this is the most dangerous substance. Death occurs after 0.00015 mg/kg enters the body within 2 to 3 minutes after the injection into the polyp.
The toxin disrupts cell function. Symptoms: chest pain, rapid heartbeat, hemolysis, difficulty breathing. You can run into animals in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There is no antidote. Vasodilators help
Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum The toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum and causes botulism. It underlies the production of a number of pharmaceuticals and Botox injections. The most powerful protein poison and one of the most powerful in the world. Lethal dose orally - 0.001 mg/kg; during inhalation – 0.0002 mg/l.
The danger lies in the everyday risk of contracting botulism. Microorganisms multiply in canned food, sausages, fish with damaged skin, and large prepared pieces of meat. They affect nerve endings in the skeleton and heart, and disrupt oxygen exchange. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory organs and heart; asphyxia, hypoxia.
The patient's stomach is washed and detoxification drugs are administered. Boiling partially helps prevent the disease. The bacteria can withstand a five-hour heat treatment. They die at a temperature of 120 0 C. But the toxin begins to break down at 70 – 80 degrees Celsius.
VX (Vee-ex)
VX - the most powerful synthetic poison The substance was obtained in 1955. It was planned to be used as a pesticide, but its toxicity exceeded agricultural standards. Oral exposure to 70 mg/kg can result in death. This is the most dangerous synthetic poison.
V-ex has a neuroparalytic effect. During the first 5 minutes, constriction of the pupils, salivation, and sweating are observed. Over the next 5 to 10 minutes, the person dies in convulsions and seizures.
There is a ban on the use of gas. Officially, only the United States and Russia recognize the presence of reserves. Practice shows that other countries also produce the substance. Kim Jong-un's brother was killed with the help of a chemical in February of this year.
The victim is taken out of the affected area, clothes are decontaminated. The eyes are washed with a 2% solution of baking soda. Symptomatic therapy is used.
Diamphotoxin
The larva of the Diamphidia beetle produces the most powerful poison on the planet - Diamphotoxin. Produced by the larvae and pupae of South African beetles of the genus Diamphidia. This is the most powerful poison of animal origin. To kill a person, 0.000025 mg/kg is enough. Used by indigenous peoples to lubricate arrows during hunting. It disrupts the electrolyte composition of cells and in a short time reduces the level of hemoglobin in the blood by 75%.
No human deaths were recorded. The toxin is released as a defense against predators.
But you can die not only from poisons, but also from ordinary foods if you eat too much of them. Finally, I suggest you get to know how you can die by overeating regular foods!
Poisonous substances surround us everywhere. Their number is in the thousands. The degree of danger to a person is individual. No one is safe from poisoning. But every person has the power to minimize the risk. What do you think about these poisons?
There are a lot of poisons in the world, some of them last a long time, others cause instant poisoning. When exposed to the body, each toxic substance causes specific symptoms, the most common of which should be known to every person.
Plant and chemical poisons are very dangerous not only to health, but also to life. Today, there are hundreds of types of potent substances, some of which are used far from with good intentions - genocide, terrorism, etc. However, our ancestors treated many ailments even with the help of the most powerful poison. One way or another, experts are still actively studying this issue.
The toxicity of toxic substances from the group is caused by an immediate effect on the respiratory properties of cells, which aggravates its work. Cell work stops, internal organs begin to collapse. This leads a person to a very serious condition, often ending in death. Essentially, cyanide is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.
It looks like a snow-white powder of small crystals. It dissolves quickly in water and is very unstable. A similar poison, in addition to laboratory methods, can be extracted from some plants (fruit seeds, almonds, etc.). However, poisoning is caused by a significant accumulation of the substance in the body.
Potassium cyanide is often used in industry:
- production of paper, plastics and some types of fabrics;
- in reagents for developing photographs;
- in the metal industry, cyanide is used to clean metal alloys from impurities;
- in granaries, products based on it protect products from rodents.
It is a fast-acting poison that can paralyze in minutes. The lethal dosage is only 0.1 mg/l. The person dies within one hour. First he loses consciousness, then his breathing and heart stop. That is why it is considered the fastest poison for humans.
Anthrax spores
This terrible disease has been killing people for centuries. Only in the nineteenth century did the scientist Louis Pasteur manage to make a vaccine. The specialist studied the resistance of animals to the effects of poisons by introducing a weakened strain of the virus into their bodies. Several years ago, American scientists developed a more effective vaccine.
Anthrax spores thrive in the secretions of an infected individual, passing through them into the soil and water. This is how they spread over vast distances. In African countries, blood-sucking insects can become carriers of poison. The incubation period lasts from several hours to a week. The poison damages blood vessels, leading to swelling, loss of sensitivity and inflammation. Boils form on the skin, developing into carbuncles. After some time, other very unpleasant signs may appear, ranging from diarrhea. Often the patient will die.
Sarin danger
Many Russians are familiar with this substance from school desks and life safety lessons. It is known to be one of the most powerful poisons in the world. Since the end of the last century, it began to be used to create WMD (weapons of mass destruction). Sarin was discovered by one of the German chemical companies. At first, the substance was used only by the military.
Sarin is a fast-evaporating, odorless liquid. Therefore, patients begin to think about poisoning only after symptoms appear.
Intoxication is possible in several ways:
- when poison enters the oral cavity;
- through contact with the skin;
- through inhalation of fumes (gas).
Organic poison damages nerve endings, preventing proteins from having any opportunity to support their work. The mild stage of poisoning is accompanied by general weakness and shortness of breath. Average - the pupils narrow, the head begins to hurt, tearfulness, nausea, trembling in the arms and legs appear.
If a person is not given first aid, then death is inevitable. The severe stage has similar symptoms, but they are more pronounced. Vomiting appears, involuntary release of urine and feces, and the headache intensifies. A few minutes later the person loses consciousness and quickly dies.
Amatoxin is a strong natural poison
This is the strongest of the entire list of natural poisons on planet Earth. Experts have proven that amatoxin is much more dangerous than any snake venom. 
It is found in pale toadstools. Once in the human body, the toxin affects the liver and kidneys, after which all cells die.
Amatoxin is extremely insidious: manifestations are observed only after ten to twelve hours. In this case, it is already too late to rinse the stomach, so you must definitely call a medical team. In the first stages, the patient may be helped by Cephalosporin or activated charcoal. The most severe cases of poisoning with this biological poison require a liver transplant.
Strychnine and its areas of application
This is a plant toxin that is often used to poison mice, rats and other rodent pests. It is obtained in laboratory conditions from the seeds of chilibuja (an African plant). Such poison is often mentioned in detective stories, where characters die from it.
Used in the creation of certain medications that are prescribed in exceptional cases. Indications for the use of such drugs are neurological diseases, impotence, loss of appetite, alcoholism, etc.
Liquid metal - mercury
This substance is mentioned in treatises dating back to 400 BC. But archaeologists also talk about more ancient traces. Mercury is often used in industry, art, medicine and other fields. Mercury vapor is very toxic. Intoxication can be either cumulative or immediate. First, the central nervous system is affected, and then other systems and organs.
The first signs of poisoning are trembling of the eyelids and fingers. After some time, stomach problems, vomiting, worsening sleep and memory appear. If mercury vapor poisoning occurs, then at first damage to the respiratory system is observed. Untimely or incorrect medical care can lead to death.
Often people encounter this liquid metal from a thermometer when it breaks. However, not everyone knows what to do in such a situation. First you need to collect all the mercury balls and fragments. This should be done wearing protective rubber gloves. The remains of the thermometer should be placed in an airtight container.
After all this, the room must be thoroughly treated with a strong concentration of potassium permanganate solution, and all existing surfaces must be wiped with a rag. After a day, the room needs to be thoroughly ventilated.
People often think of poisons as a myth from Shakespeare's dramas, or ripped from the pages of Agatha Christie's novels. But in fact, poison can be found everywhere: in cute little bottles under the kitchen sink, in our drinking water, and even in our blood. Below are ten of the world's most under-the-radar poisons, some exotic, others frighteningly common.
10. Hydrogen Cyanide
Although cyanide carries a terrible stigma, its history is rich and fruitful. Some scientists even believe that cyanide may have been one of the chemicals that helped form life on earth. Today it is better known as the lethal substance, the active ingredient in Zyklon B, which the Nazis used to exterminate Jews in showers. Cyanide is a chemical used as capital punishment in the gas chambers of the United States. Those who have been in contact with the substance describe its odor as similar to that of sweet almonds. Cyanide kills by binding to the iron in our blood cells and destroying them, making them unable to carry oxygen throughout the body. Most states in the United States have stopped using the gas chamber, as this type of death penalty is considered unnecessarily cruel. Death can take several minutes and is often horrific to watch as the condemned convicts writhe in agony and salivate profusely as the body attempts to prevent death.
9. Hydrofluoric acid or hydrofluoric acid(Hydrofluoric Acid) 
Hydrofluoric acid is used in a number of industries, such as metallurgy and even in the manufacture of Teflon. There are much more powerful acids in the world than hydrofluoric acid, but few of them are as dangerous to humans. In gaseous form it can easily burn out the eyes and lungs, but in liquid form it is especially insidious. Initially, when it comes into contact with human skin, it is completely imperceptible. Due to the fact that it does not cause pain upon contact, people can become seriously poisoned without noticing it. It penetrates the skin into the bloodstream, where it reacts with calcium in the body. In the worst cases, it seeps through the tissue and destroys the bone underneath.
8. Batrachotoxin
Fortunately for most of us, our chance of encountering batrachotoxin is incredibly small. Batrachotoxin is one of the most potent neurotoxins in the world and is found in the skin of tiny dart frogs. Frogs do not produce the poison themselves, it is produced in their bodies by the food they eat, most likely from eating tiny bugs. There are several different versions of the poison depending on the type of frog, the most dangerous is the type of batrachotoxin produced by the Colombian frog called the terrible leaf creeper. This frog is so tiny that it can fit on the tip of your finger, but the poison on the skin of one frog is enough to kill about two dozen people, or a couple of elephants. The toxin attacks nerves, opening their sodium channels and causing paralysis, essentially shutting down the entire body's ability to communicate with itself. There is no antidote in the world, and death occurs very quickly.
7. VX Nerve Gas
Banned from use by the Chemical Weapons Convention (global supplies of this gas are gradually decreasing), VX nerve gas is considered the most powerful nerve gas in the world. The danger of this gas, discovered completely by accident in 1952 during chemical testing of organophosphates, was quickly discovered. Marketed as a pesticide under the name "Amiton", it was soon withdrawn due to its being too dangerous to society. It soon came to the attention of world governments as it was a time of political turmoil in the Cold War, and the gas began to be stockpiled for potential use in war. Luckily, no one started a war and the VX was never used in combat. A cultist from the Japanese group Aum Shinriyko stole some of this gas and used it to kill a man - the only known human death caused by VX gas. The gas stops the production of enzymes in the nerves, causing the nerves to be in a constant state of activity, creating a “storm” in the nervous system that quickly overloads and destroys the body.
6. Agent Orange
Almost everyone has heard of the defoliant Agent Orange, created by Dow Chemical and Monsanto (which are considered the most evil corporations in the world). Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War to eradicate trees that provided cover for enemy soldiers and to destroy crops in rural areas. Unfortunately, in addition to being a plant-killing agent, the herbicides contained a chemical dioxin called TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), a known carcinogen that causes a significant increase in the risk of cancer, especially lymphoma, in those exposed to it. In addition, tens of thousands of Vietnamese children were born stillborn or with birth defects such as cleft palate, extra fingers and toes, and mental retardation. Vietnam remains very polluted to this day.
5. Ricin
Derived from the castor bean plant, ricin is one of the deadliest poisons. A small dose, comparable to a few grains of salt, is enough to kill an adult. The venom stops the production of proteins that the body needs to survive, causing victims to go into shock. Because of its simple production process, ricin has been weaponized by many governments around the world, and was used at least once for murder, when Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was shot with ricin pellets on a London street in 1978. It is believed that the Bulgarian secret police and/or the KGB were responsible for the murder.
4. Arsenic
The metalloid arsenic has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes, from weapons production to cosmetics during the Victorian era (when sickly pallor was considered a fashion statement among women). During the Dark Ages, arsenic became a popular poison for assassins due to its effect - arsenic poisoning has symptoms similar to cholera, which was widespread during those times. Arsenic attacks adenosine triphosphatases in human cells, cutting off the flow of energy. Arsenic is a very unpleasant substance that, in strong concentrations, can cause various types of gastrointestinal disorders with bleeding, convulsions, coma and death. In small amounts taken on a regular basis (for example, through arsenic-contaminated water), arsenic has been linked to a number of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
3. Lead
Lead is one of the very first metals used by man. Its first smelting was made 8,000 years ago. However, its dangerous effects on the body became known only a few decades ago - lead affects every organ in the human body, so lead poisoning manifests itself through a range of symptoms, from diarrhea to mental retardation. Children are especially at risk of poisoning; fetal exposure to lead causes pathological neurological disorders. Strangest of all, many criminologists believe that the widespread decline in violent crime is at least partly the result of increased restrictions on the use of lead. Children born after 1980 were much less likely to be exposed to lead and, as a result, were less likely to become violent.
2. Brodifacoum
Immediately after the end of World War II, the poison warfarin began to be used as a rodenticide (and interestingly enough, it was also used as an anticoagulant for people with bleeding disorders). But rats are known for their ability to survive at all costs, and over time, many of them have become resistant to warfarin. Therefore, it was replaced by brodifacoum. An extremely lethal anticoagulant, brodifacoum reduces the amount of vitamin K in the blood. Due to the fact that vitamin K is necessary for the blood clotting process, the body over time is subject to severe internal bleeding as blood spreads throughout the body from the rupture of tiny capillaries. Brodifacoum, which is sold under brands such as Havoc, Talon, and Jaguar, must be handled with great care because it penetrates the skin easily and remains in the body for many months.
1. Strychnine
Derived primarily from a tree called chilibuha, which is native to India and southeast Asia, strychnine is an alkaloid substance and is used as a pesticide, especially in rodent control. Death caused by strychnine poisoning is terribly painful. As a neurotoxin, strychnine attacks the spinal nerves, causing seizures and violent muscle contractions. Oskar Dirlewanger, a Nazi SS commander during World War II, injected his prisoners with strychnine and amused himself by watching them writhe. Strychnine is one of the few substances on this list that is both cheap and available on the market. It's possible that strychnine is sold at your local hardware store under a name like "Rodent Killer" or something similar.
The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus once correctly noted: “All substances are poisons; there is not a single one that is not. It’s all about the dose,” and he was absolutely right.
It’s paradoxical: the human body is almost 70% water, but even water in large quantities is destructive. However, sometimes even a drop of a substance is enough, which can be fatal. From flowers to heavy metals and gases produced by man himself; Below is a list of the most dangerous poisons known to mankind.
Cyanide exists in the form of a colorless gas or crystals, but in either case it is quite dangerous. It smells like bitter almonds, and when it enters the body, in just a few minutes it leads to the appearance of symptoms such as headache, nausea, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, as well as weakness. If action is not taken promptly, cyanide kills by depriving the body's cells of oxygen. And yes, cyanide can be obtained from apple seeds, but don't worry if you eat a few. You will have to eat about ten apples before enough cyanide has accumulated in your body for you to feel all of the above. Please don't do this.
24. Hydrofluoric acid (Fluoric acid)
Hydrofluoric acid is a poison used, among other things, to make Teflon. In its liquid state, this substance easily seeps through the skin into the bloodstream. In the body, it reacts with calcium and can even destroy bone tissue. The worst thing is that the effect of contact does not appear immediately, which increases the likelihood of causing serious damage to health.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring crystalline semimetal and perhaps one of the best known and most common poisons used as a murder weapon in the late 19th century. However, its use for such purposes began in the mid-1700s. The effect of arsenic lasts from several hours to several days, but the result is the same - death. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, which made it difficult to distinguish arsenic poisoning from dysentery or cholera 120 years ago.
22. Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade
Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade is a very poisonous herb (flower) with a romantic history. What makes it poisonous is an alkaloid called atropine. Absolutely the entire plant is poisonous, although to varying degrees: the root contains the most poison, and the berries contain less. However, even two pieces are enough to kill a child. Some people use belladonna for relaxation as a hallucinogen, and in Victorian times women would often drop belladonna tincture into their eyes to dilate their pupils and make their eyes sparkle. Before death, under the influence of belladonna, a seizure develops, the pulse quickens and confusion occurs. Belladonna is not a toy for children.
21. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide)
Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless substance and slightly less dense than air. It poisons and then kills a person. Part of what makes carbon monoxide so dangerous is that it is difficult to detect; sometimes called the "silent killer". This substance prevents oxygen from entering the body for normal cell functioning. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu without fever: headache, weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, nausea and confusion. Fortunately, a carbon monoxide detector can be purchased at any specialty store.
20. Beach apple tree
The most dangerous tree in all of North America grows in Florida. The Manchineel tree or Beach apple tree has small green fruits that look like sweet apples. Don't eat them! And don't touch this tree! Don't sit next to it and pray you never end up underneath it in windy weather. If the sap gets on your skin, it will blister, and if it gets in your eyes, you can go blind. The sap is contained in the leaves and bark, so don't touch them!
Fluoride is a highly poisonous, pale yellow gas that is corrosive and will react with almost anything. For fluorine to be lethal, a concentration of 0.000025% is sufficient. It causes blindness and suffocation like mustard gas, but its effects are much worse on the victim.
18. Sodium fluoroacetate
The pesticide used is Compound 1080, also known as sodium fluoroacetate. It is found naturally in some plant species in Africa, Brazil and Australia. The terrible truth of this deadly, odorless and tasteless poison is that there is no antidote for it. Oddly enough, the bodies of those who die from exposure to sodium fluoroacetate remain poisonous for a full year.
The most dangerous man-made poison is called dioxin - it only takes 50 micrograms to kill an adult. It is the third most toxic poison known to science, 60 times more toxic than cyanide.
16. Dimethylmercury (neurotoxin)
Dimethylmercury (a neurotoxin) is a terrible poison because it can penetrate most standard protective equipment, such as thick latex gloves. This is exactly what happened to a chemist named Karen Wetterhan in 1996. A single drop of colorless liquid fell on my gloved hand, and that was it. Symptoms began to appear FOUR MONTHS later and she died six months later.
15. Wolfsbane (Wrestler)
Wolfsbane (Fighter) also known as "Monk's Hood", "Wolfsbane", "Leopard's Venom", "Women's Curse", "Devil's Helmet", "Queen of Poisons" and "Blue Rocket". This is practically an entire genus, which includes more than 250 herbs, most of which are extremely poisonous. Flowers can be either blue or yellow. Some of the plants have been used not only in folk medicine, but also as murder weapons over the past decade.
The toxin found in poisonous mushrooms is called amatoxin. It attacks liver and kidney cells and kills them within a few days. May affect the heart and central nervous system. Treatment is available, but results are not guaranteed. The poison is temperature stable and cannot be removed by drying. Therefore, if you are not 100% sure that the mushrooms you collect are safe, do not eat them.
Anthrax is actually a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. What makes you sick is not so much the bacteria as the toxin it produces when it enters the body. Bacillus Anthracis can enter the system through the skin, mouth or respiratory tract. The mortality rate for airborne anthrax is as high as 75% even though there is a cure.
12. Hemlock plant
Hemlock is a classic poisonous plant that was regularly used for executions in ancient Greece. There are several varieties, and in North America, water hemlock is the most common plant. You could die if you ate it, yet people still add hemlock to salads, considering it an acceptable ingredient. Water hemlock causes painful and severe convulsions, cramps and tremors. People who have experienced the full power of the whitehead, but survive, may subsequently suffer from amnesia. Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America. Keep an eye on small children and even teenagers when they are outside! Don't eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.
11. Strychnine
Strychnine is commonly used to kill small mammals and birds and is often a major component of rat poison. In large doses, strychnine is also dangerous for people. It can be swallowed, inhaled, or taken into the body through the skin. The first symptoms: painful muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Muscle contractions ultimately lead to suffocation. Death can occur within half an hour. This is a very unpleasant way to die, for both humans and rats.
Most knowledgeable people consider maytotoxin to be the most powerful marine toxin. It is found in a dinoflagellate algae called Gambierdiscus toxicus. For mice, meiototoxin is the most toxic among non-protein toxins.
Mercury is a heavy metal that is quite toxic to humans if inhaled or touched. Touching it can cause the skin to peel off, and if you inhale the mercury vapor, it will eventually shut down your central nervous system and be fatal. Before then, kidney failure, memory loss, brain damage and blindness are likely to occur.
8. Polonium
Polonium is a radioactive chemical element. Its most common form is 250,000 times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It emits alpha particles (not compatible with organic tissues). Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin, so polonium must be ingested or injected into the victim. However, if this happens, the result will not be long in coming. One theory is that a gram of polonium 210 is injected into the body. could kill up to ten million people, causing first radiation poisoning and then cancer.
Suicide tree or Cerbera odollam works by disrupting the natural rhythm of the heart and often causing death. A member of the same family as Oleander, the plant was often used to perform the "innocence test" in Madagascar. An estimated 3,000 people a year died from drinking Cerberus venom before the practice was made illegal in 1861. (If the person survived, he was found innocent. If he died, it no longer mattered.)
Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum and is an incredibly powerful neurotoxin. It causes paralysis, which can lead to death. Botulinum toxin is known by its commercial name, Botox. Yes, that's what the doctor injects into your mom's forehead to make it less wrinkled (or into her neck to help with migraines) that causes muscle paralysis.
5. Pufferfish
Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in some countries, where it is called Fugu; it's a dish that few would literally die for. Why does death occur? Because the insides of the fish contain tetrodotoxin, and in Japan, approximately 5 people a year die from eating puffer fish as a result of improper preparation technology. But gourmets continue to persist.
4. Sarin gas
Sarin gas makes you relive the worst moments of your life. The chest shrinks, stronger and stronger, and then... death comes. Although the use of Sarin was made illegal in 1995, it has not stopped being used in terrorist attacks.
3. "Poison Arrow"
The Golden Poison Arrow Frog is tiny, adorable and very dangerous. Just one thumb-sized frog contains enough neurotoxin to kill ten people! A dose equal to about two crystals of salt is enough to kill an adult. This is why some Amazonian tribes used poison on the tips of their hunting arrows. One touch of such an arrow kills within a few minutes! When walking in the Amazon forests, stick to the rule: do not touch red, blue, green and especially yellow frogs.
Ricin is even more dangerous than anthrax. This substance is obtained from castor beans, the same plant from which castor oil is extracted. This poison is especially toxic if inhaled, and a pinch is enough to kill an adult.
1. "VX"
Codenamed "Purple Possum," the VX chemical is the most powerful nerve gas on Earth. It is man-made, and you can thank the United Kingdom for that. Technically, it was banned in 1993, and the US government allegedly ordered the destruction of its stock, but whether this is actually the case is anyone's guess.
Some animals have the amazing ability to kill using toxic chemicals, 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 (they inject venom into their victims using stingers, fangs or other devices.
The most poisonous amphibian: The terrible leaf climber
It lives only in the tropical rainforests of western Colombia. The poison of one frog can kill from 10 to 20 people. (Only one type of snake Liophis epinephelus, is resistant to the poison of the terrible leaf climber, however, if exposed to a sufficiently large amount of 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. The 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 is made up of neurotoxins, hemotoxins, mycotoxins, and nephrotoxins. This means it can dissolve your blood, brain, muscles, and kidneys before you hit the ground.) Fortunately, this venomous snake rarely comes into contact with humans. and even when this happens (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) quite 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 species of 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.
Other venomous mammals include: 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 a toxic poison that 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, thrush flycatchers synthesize poison from beetles that are part of their diet (these beetles are also part of 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 the Indian and Pacific oceans and are quite modest in size (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.
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