A thrilling tale of encounters with nature’s masters of biochemistry
In Venomous, the molecular biologist Christie Wilcox investigates venoms and the animals that use them, revealing how they work, what they do to the human body, and how they can revolutionize biochemistry and medicine today.
Wilcox takes us from the coast of Indonesia to the rainforests of Peru in search of the secrets of these mysterious animals. We encounter jellyfish that release microscopic venom-packed darts known to kill humans in just two minutes, a two-inch caterpillar with toxic bristles that trigger hemorrhaging throughout the body, and a stunning blue-ringed octopus with saliva capable of inducing total paralysis. How could an animal as simple as a jellyfish evolve such an intricate, deadly poison? And how can a snake possess enzymes that tear through tissue yet leave its own body unscathed? Wilcox meets the fearless scientists who often risk their lives studying these lethal beasts to find out, and puts her own life on the line to examine these species up close. Drawing on her own research on venom chemistry and evolution, she also shows how venom is helping us untangle the complex mechanisms of some of our most devastating diseases.
Venomous reveals that the animals we fear the most actually hold the keys to a deeper understanding of evolution, adaptation, and immunity. Thrilling and surprising at every turn, Venomous will change the way you think about our natural world.
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Christie Wilcox, PhD, is a scientist and science writer based at the University of Hawaii. Her writing has appeared in Discover, The New York Times, Scientific American, Slate, and Popular Science.
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Dedication
Preface
Masters of Physiology
Death Becomes Them
Of Mongeese and Men
To the Pain
Bleed It Out
All the Better to Eat You With
Don't Move
Mind Games
Lethal Lifesavers
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index
A Note About the Author
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怀孕会让人类女性的静止代谢率提高21%。 死亡蛇(澳大利亚的一种眼镜蛇)在制造毒素的前3天里静止代谢率提高了21%。 蝎子更新毒素时的静止代谢率会提高20%-40%,持续时间最长可达8天。
每个动物个体的能量预算都有限,所以它们必须精打细算,才能同时满足各方面的需求:维持基本生存、寻找配偶、繁育后代。
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