What's it like to get bit by a venomous snake? "It's like a bee sting times a thousand," Tim Friede says. Tim would know. Over the past few decades, he's let himself be bitten over 200 times by all kinds of venomous snakes — black mambas, taipans, cobras, kraits and more. With time, he's gradually built immunity to multiple types of venom. Could scientists help him share that immunity with others? Science reporter Ari Daniel joins Short Wave to explain how antivenom works, what scientists discovered and where the research may lead. Plus, what does Tim Friede have in common with Princess Bride?Want to hear about more medical discoveries? Email us at [email protected] to tell us what areas of science you'd be interested in.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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You're listening to Shortwave from NPR. Hey, Shore Wavers, Regina Barber here. And today I'm joined by reporter Ari Daniel, who's going to talk to us about snakes. Hey, Ari.
Hi there, Regina. Yes, venomous snakes, to be exact. They're a big problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries and in the tropics. The World Health Organization estimates that every year tens of thousands of people die as a result of venomous snake bites and that they permanently disable several hundred thousand more.
That is awful.
Absolutely. The specific health risks vary, and that's partly because venoms are a brew of different chemicals. There are neurotoxic venoms that can lead to paralysis, including of the airway, so people suffocate. Other venoms can affect the blood, causing it either to fail to clot or to form clots too readily. Some venoms cause intense pain, and others cause no pain at all.
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