The Power of Poison | video | @GrrlScientist

Ranitomeya uakarii, a poison dart frog species that is widespread throughout the Amazon basin of South America.
Picture: MoleSon² [Creative Commons two. (by-nc)]

It is Caturday, so that indicates it is time for a video!

This week’s video comes courtesy of the American Museum of Natural Background (AMNH) in New York City, in which I was a postdoc and which is hosting a new exhibit, The electrical power of poison.

The subject of poisons has fascinated folks during the ages and poisonous broths and potions figure prominently in fairy tales and myths from all cultures. For illustration, William Shakespeare famously wrote about witches brewing a poisonous broth in Macbeth

Round about the caldron go
In the poison’d entrails throw.

[...]

Double, double toil and problems
Fire burn up, and caldron bubble.

~~ William Shakespeare Macbeth (Act IV, Scene one)

But in which do poisons come from? Are they only found in certain plants? Why do they exist? Can poisons truly save lives? For solutions to these queries and far more, you will want to check out the new “Power of Poison” exhibit at AMNH.

In this video, Mark Siddell, curator of invertebrate zoology at AMNH, introduces us to this topic by telling us the big difference between poisons, toxins, venoms — and magic (hint: the distinction lies not in the identity of the substance, but in the delivery mechanism):

[Video hyperlink]

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GrrlScientist can also be found right here: Maniraptora. She’s quite active on twitter @GrrlScientist and sometimes lurks on social media: facebook, G+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

The Power of Poison | video | @GrrlScientist