Science

Danger! Venomous Snails

Monday 27 March 2006 21:00-21:30 (Radio 4 FM)

The very idea of a deadly snail seems like something out of Monty Python, but these killer snails are for real and their potent venom is unlocking new drug discoveries. Cone Snails may look like gorgeous sea-shells, but they're hunters who kill fish using their venom-laden harpoons. Each shot carries enough poison to kill 15 people. The man looking after some of them in a New York lab is Dr John Paul Bingham, of Clarkson University. Mark Stephen presents.

Read producer Louise Yeoman's BBC News article about venomous snails here.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]