Milking the WORLD'S MOST VENOMOUS FISH! - Smarter Every Day 117

TL;DR

The stonefish is the world's most venomous fish, and this video explores the process of milking their venom and its uses in research and anti-venom production.

Transcript

Hey it's me Destin, welcome back to Smarter Every Day. Sometimes I like to walk around in my yard barefooted, which is awesome until I hit a little sticky weed, which hurts. I'm about to ruin the beach for you. There's an animal called the stonefish that is the meanest thing that I have ever seen. We're gonna milk it, even though it doesn't have ni... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🎨 The stonefish is the world's most venomous fish, with venom sacs along its spines containing venom that causes extreme pain.
• 👨‍🔬 The venom is used for research and the production of anti-venom for stonefish stings, which are common in Australia.
• 💦 Stonefish can stay out of water for a couple of hours and are inter-tidal animals, often getting caught in pools when the water drains out.
• 🦶 The process of milking stonefish venom involves using a rubber covering to mimic the pressure of a foot and squeezing the venom sacs along the spines.
• 🎨 Stonefish venom is designed for causing pain and is believed to punch holes in cell membranes.
• 😃 Stonefish have eyes that are difficult to spot, appearing clear and small.
• 💦 The venom milking process does not stress the stonefish as they can hold water in their gills and are used to being temporarily out of water.

Questions & Answers

Q: How venomous is the stonefish?

The stonefish is the most venomous fish in the world, with venom sacs along its spines containing venom that causes extreme pain.

Q: Why do researchers milk stonefish venom?

Researchers milk stonefish venom to study its effects and to produce anti-venom for stonefish stings, which are frequent in Australia.

Q: How does the stonefish inject venom into its victims?

The stonefish's spines have venom sacs located about a third of the way down, so when the spine enters a victim's foot, the tissue compresses the venom sac, shooting venom up the spine and into the victim.

Q: How long does it take for a stonefish to replenish its venom supply?

The time it takes for a stonefish to replenish its venom supply depends on food availability, but typically it takes 2-3 weeks.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video showcases the stonefish, the most venomous fish in the world, and the process of milking its venom.

• The venom is collected to further research its effects and to produce anti-venom for stonefish stings, which are common along the east coast of Australia.

• Stonefish have venom sacs along their spines and can shoot venom into a victim's foot, causing extreme pain.