Killer Cone Snails: Deadly Predators or the Future of Medicine?

What is your first thought if I say “venom”? Is it something bad or good? As we will discuss in this article, it all depends on the dose. We will examine the beauty of nature and science through an amazing animal: cone snails. These apparently harmless marine molluscs harbor a deadly secret—their powerful venom. Scientists have been studying cone snail venom since the 1980s, when its potential as medicines was discovered. In this article, we will talk about these venomous animals and how scientists investigate whether substances in their venom can actually benefit humans.