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The Platypus: Good For You

Posted by Hemos on from the thems-good-eatins dept.

egglayingmammalophile writes "Cute, webfooted, duck beaked, cold blooded, egg laying, electrosensitive and venomous, it didn't seem possible that they could get any weirder. But now the platypus is also good for you."

2 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What about other Platypus's reactions... by C21 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think the point of the venom is to "fend" off other males in mating season, as per the article. I guess this venom acts both locally (i.e. the longterm swelling) and in the brain (on the pain receptors). I'm also thinking the platypus gets a bit more of a shock than we do when the poison is released...but sometimes evolution just hasn't perfected it's defenses, this may just be one of those cases.

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  2. Cone Shells by Ratso+Baggins · · Score: 4, Interesting
    This is not new, cone shells (a mollusck) can shoot out a spike and inject venom which WILL kill you in less than 10 secs (4?).

    Scientists have seperated certain agents in the venom which, when grately diluted, are excellent pain killers for chronic pain, apparently with little or no habbit forming problems (don't they always say that)

    Apparently this is a popular idea - treating chronic pain with venom derivatives.

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    "we live in a post-ideological world..." - Billy Bragg.