One Drop of This Poison Could Kill the Whole World

Summary

This video explores the world's deadliest poisons, from the widely used rat poison Brodifacoum to the highly radioactive Polonium. It delves into natural toxins like Tetrodotoxin found in pufferfish and synthetic nerve agents like VX, highlighting their sources, effects, and potential treatments. The video also touches on historical uses, such as ricin in warfare and cyanide in assassinations, emphasizing the lethality and the ongoing search for antidotes.

Takeaways

• 🐀 Brodifacoum, a potent anticoagulant, is widely used in rat poison and can remain in the blood for up to nine months, posing a risk to humans if ingested.
• 🐡 Tetrodotoxin, found in pufferfish, is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death within hours, with no known antidote.
• 🍂 Cyanide, with a sweet taste, is present in apricot pits and can be lethal in processed forms like sodium or potassium cyanide, affecting the heart and nervous system.
• 🌳 Strychnine, derived from the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, is a neurotoxin that causes muscle spasms and can be fatal, though it's used as a pesticide for large pests.
• ☠️ Ricin, from the castor oil plant, is a deadly protein that inhibits protein synthesis and can be lethal through various exposure routes, with limited treatment options.
• 🔮 VX, a synthetic nerve agent, is highly lethal and was infamously used in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, highlighting its potential as an assassination tool.
• 🐸 Batrachotoxin, found on poison dart frogs, is a potent neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and cardiac arrest, with no known antidote, but tetrodotoxin has shown some treatment potential.
• 🌊 Maitotoxin, produced by a marine plankton, is an extremely potent cardiotoxin that can cause heart failure and is almost always fatal, even in minute quantities.
• 🍖 Botulinum Toxin, despite its deadly reputation, has found use in medical treatments and cosmetic procedures like Botox, showing its dual nature as both a poison and a therapeutic agent.
• ☢️ Polonium, a radioactive element, is the most deadly poison mentioned, with the potential to kill an entire country with a single gram, and has no effective treatment or antidote.

Q & A

What is the primary use of Brodifacoum and why is it dangerous to humans?

Brodifacoum is primarily used as a pesticide to control vermin, particularly rats, due to its effectiveness in eliminating large colonies through poisoned food. It is dangerous to humans because it is a powerful anticoagulant that can cause severe bleeding if ingested, and it can remain in the bloodstream for up to nine months. Treatment involves infusions of Vitamin K and possibly blood transfusions, which need to continue until the poison is out of the blood.

How does Tetrodotoxin work, and what are its effects on humans?

Tetrodotoxin is a potent neurotoxin found in certain animals like pufferfish. It works by blocking sodium channels, which shuts down the nervous system and prevents muscles from contracting. In humans, it can cause paralysis, difficulty breathing, vomiting, seizures, and eventually respiratory failure. There is no known antidote, and death can occur within six hours, often while the victim remains conscious but completely paralyzed.

What is the common source of Cyanide poisoning and how can it be treated?

Cyanide poisoning can occur from various sources, including apricot pits, which contain cyanide. It can be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Treatment involves the use of hydroxocobalamin, an antidote that neutralizes cyanide and allows the kidneys to eliminate it.

How does Strychnine affect the human body, and what are its common uses?

Strychnine is a powerful neurotoxin that affects the spinal cord's nerve fibers, leading to muscle spasms, possible kidney failure, seizures, and respiratory failure. It is commonly used as a pesticide to control pests like gophers and coyotes, although its use in rat poison has declined due to its potential to harm unintended targets like pets.

What is Ricin and how was it considered for use in warfare?

Ricin is a toxin derived from the castor oil plant seeds. It is a potent poison that can kill by inhalation, injection, ingestion, or absorption through the eyes or minor skin wounds. During World War I, the United States considered weaponizing Ricin by coating bullets or using it as a dusting agent, but it was never deployed. Later, it was used in assassinations and sent to US politicians in letters.

How does VX, a synthetic nerve agent, affect the human body?

VX is a synthetic nerve agent that interferes with nerve cell transmission, causing muscle contractions and respiratory failure. It is highly volatile and dangerous, and exposure can lead to death. The best way to avoid death from VX is through early decontamination and the administration of standard nerve agent antidotes.

What is Batrachotoxin, and how is it used by indigenous people?

Batrachotoxin is a potent neurotoxin found on the skin of poison dart frogs. It blocks nerve signal transmission to muscles, causing paralysis and cardiac arrest. Indigenous people have used it by carefully scraping off a layer of the frog's skin to coat darts, which are then shot through blowguns, turning a mild weapon into a deadly one.

How does Maitotoxin, a toxin produced by a plankton, affect the human body?

Maitotoxin is a cardiotoxin produced by the dinoflagellate, a type of plankton. It activates extra calcium channels in cells, leading to heart failure that is almost always fatal. It is extremely potent, with less than one nanogram being a lethal dose for a mouse, and any amount encountered in nature could potentially be lethal to humans.

What is the unique characteristic of Botulinum Toxin that makes it both deadly and useful in medicine?

Botulinum Toxin is a neurotoxin that affects muscles and nerves, causing paralysis. It is deadly in small amounts but has been adapted for medical use, particularly in the form of Botox, where it is used to create localized paralysis in facial muscles to reduce wrinkles.

Why is Polonium considered the deadliest poison, and what are the challenges in treating its effects?

Polonium is considered the deadliest poison because it is a highly radioactive metal that causes fatal radiation poisoning with minuscule amounts. There is no effective treatment or antidote for polonium exposure, which is invariably fatal. It is challenging to produce and is only accessible to nuclear-powered nations, making it a rare but extremely dangerous substance.

Outlines

00:00

🐀 Top 10 Deadliest Poisons: Introduction and Brodifacoum

The video script introduces the topic of the deadliest poisons in the world, starting with Brodifacoum, a potent anticoagulant pesticide commonly used for rodent control. It discusses how Brodifacoum prevents blood clotting, leading to severe bleeding, and its long-lasting presence in the bloodstream. The script also mentions the potential danger to humans if ingested, with treatments involving Vitamin K and blood transfusions. The poison's low likelihood of accidental human ingestion is highlighted, with most cases resulting from accidental consumption or intentional poisoning.

05:05

🐡 Tetrodotoxin and Cyanide: Lethal Neurotoxins and Their Effects

The script continues with Tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin found in pufferfish, which can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death if ingested. It emphasizes the lack of an antidote and the grim prognosis for those affected. The video then discusses cyanide, a chemical compound found in various forms, including apricot pits. It explains how cyanide can be toxic in its processed forms, such as sodium cyanide and hydrogen cyanide, affecting the heart and central nervous system. The script notes the availability of an antidote, hydroxocobalamin, which can neutralize cyanide.

10:07

🌳 Strychnine and Ricin: Poisons from Nature and Their Historical Uses

The video script describes Strychnine, a neurotoxin derived from the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, which causes muscle spasms and can be fatal to mammals. It discusses the historical use of Strychnine as a pesticide and its potential dangers to humans. The script then covers Ricin, a toxin found in castor oil plant seeds, which can cause severe gastrointestinal damage and affect the central nervous system. It mentions Ricin's potential as a weapon, its use in assassinations, and ongoing efforts to develop a vaccine against it.

🔬 VX and Batrachotoxin: Synthetic and Natural Neurotoxins

The script introduces VX, a synthetic nerve agent developed as an insecticide but later recognized for its deadly potential. It explains how VX interferes with nerve cell transmission, leading to muscle contractions and respiratory failure. The video recounts the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam using VX and discusses the limited treatment options available. It then describes Batrachotoxin, a neurotoxin found on poison dart frogs, which causes paralysis and cardiac arrest. The script notes the lack of an antidote but mentions tetrodotoxin's potential in reversing its effects.

🌊 Maitotoxin and Botulinum Toxin: Marine and Bacterial Toxins

The video script discusses Maitotoxin, a potent cardiotoxin produced by a marine plankton, which can cause heart failure. It highlights the toxin's rarity and the lack of testing on it, with a fatal dose for mice being extremely small. The script then covers Botulinum Toxin, a neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and is associated with food poisoning. It explains the toxin's growth conditions and its medical applications, particularly in the form of Botox for cosmetic purposes.

☢️ Polonium: The Deadliest Poison

The script concludes with Polonium, a radioactive metal that is one of the rarest and deadliest elements. It details Polonium's extreme radioactivity and the fatal consequences of exposure, with no effective treatment or antidote. The video mentions historical cases of Polonium poisoning, such as the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, and emphasizes the element's rarity and the need for responsible handling by nations with access to it.

Keywords

💡Poison

Poison refers to a substance that is harmful, toxic, or lethal when it comes into contact with or is ingested by a living organism. In the context of the video, poison is the central theme, with a focus on the deadliest poisons in the world. Examples include Brodifacoum, a pesticide used for vermin control, and Tetrodotoxin, found in pufferfish, which are highlighted as particularly potent and lethal.

💡Defense mechanism

A defense mechanism in biology is a strategy used by organisms to protect themselves from predators or threats. The video discusses how certain poisons, such as those found in poison dart frogs, serve as natural defense mechanisms against predators. This concept is crucial for understanding the evolutionary significance of these toxins.

💡Neurotoxin

Neurotoxins are a class of poisons that specifically target the nervous system, disrupting its function and potentially causing paralysis or death. The video mentions several neurotoxins, including Tetrodotoxin and Ricin, which are used to illustrate the potency and danger of these substances. These neurotoxins are central to the video's exploration of deadly poisons.

💡Anticoagulant

An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents or slows blood clotting. Brodifacoum, mentioned in the video, is a powerful anticoagulant that can lead to severe, uncontrolled bleeding. The video uses this term to explain the mechanism by which certain poisons can be lethal, emphasizing the long-lasting effects of such substances in the bloodstream.

💡Cyanide

Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical compound that can inhibit cellular respiration, leading to rapid death. The video discusses cyanide's presence in everyday items like apricot pits and its potential for more harmful forms such as hydrogen cyanide gas. This keyword is used to demonstrate the ubiquity and danger of certain poisons.

💡Strychnine

Strychnine is a potent neurotoxin derived from the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree. The video describes its effects on the central nervous system, causing muscle spasms and seizures. It is highlighted as an example of a poison that, while deadly, has been used for various purposes, including as a pesticide.

💡Ricin

Ricin is a toxic protein derived from castor beans and is one of the most lethal toxins known. The video explains how ricin can be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed, leading to severe organ damage and death. It also touches on ricin's historical use in assassinations and as a potential biological weapon.

💡VX

VX is a synthetic nerve agent, a potent neurotoxin that was originally developed as an insecticide but was found to be too deadly for such use. The video recounts the notorious assassination of Kim Jong-nam with VX, illustrating the agent's potency and the challenges of treating exposure to such substances.

💡Batrachotoxin

Batrachotoxin is a potent neurotoxin found on the skin of poison dart frogs. The video explains how this toxin can cause paralysis and cardiac arrest, with no known antidote. It is used to highlight the natural sources of some of the world's deadliest poisons and their impact on both wildlife and human affairs.

💡Maitotoxin

Maitotoxin is a powerful toxin produced by certain marine plankton. The video describes it as one of the most complex and deadly toxins, causing heart failure. It is used to illustrate the natural occurrence of extremely potent toxins in the environment and the challenges they pose to human health.

💡Botulinum Toxin

Botulinum Toxin, also known as Botox, is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The video discusses its deadly potential when ingested through contaminated food, as well as its medical and cosmetic uses. It serves as an example of how a substance can have both harmful and beneficial applications.

💡Polonium

Polonium is a radioactive element and a potent alpha particle emitter. The video describes it as one of the most toxic substances known, with the ability to cause radiation poisoning. It is highlighted for its use in assassinations and the extreme care required in handling such a dangerous material.

Highlights

Brodifacoum, a powerful anticoagulant poison, is widely used as a pesticide.

Brodifacoum can remain in the blood for up to nine months, posing a risk to larger animals and humans if ingested.

Tetrodotoxin, found in pufferfish, is a potent neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and respiratory failure.

There is no known antidote for tetrodotoxin, but respiratory aid can help survival until the poison wears off.

Cyanide, found in apricot pits, can be toxic in processed forms like sodium cyanide and hydrogen cyanide.

An antidote for cyanide poisoning exists, hydroxocobalamin, which can neutralize and help eliminate the compound.

Strychnine, derived from the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, is a neurotoxin that causes muscle spasms and can be fatal.

Ricin, a protein from the castor oil plant, is one of the deadliest toxins and can be lethal through various exposure routes.

Ricin has been considered as a weapon and was used in assassinations, highlighting its potential as a bioweapon.

VX, a synthetic nerve agent, is highly lethal and was infamously used in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam.

Batrachotoxin, found in poison dart frogs, is a powerful neurotoxin with no known antidote.

Maitotoxin, produced by a marine plankton, is an extremely potent cardiotoxin that can cause heart failure.

Botulinum toxin, despite its deadliness, has been repurposed for medical and cosmetic uses, such as Botox.

Polonium, a radioactive element, is the most deadly poison mentioned, with the potential to kill everyone on Earth.

Alexander Litvinenko's poisoning case illustrates the extreme toxicity and radioactivity of polonium.

Transcripts

Poison. In an animal or plant, it can be a  defense mechanism - and in the hands of a  

villain, an untraceable murder tool. But  which poison packs the deadliest punch?

Here are the ten deadliest poisons in the world.

#10. Brodifacoum

Rats! If a place has a vermin problem,  they probably take action fast to get rid  

of the disease-spreading rodents. One of the  most effective methods is using pesticides,  

which can take out a large colony of rats  quickly through poisoned food. And Brodifacoum,  

a powerful anticoagulant poison, has become one  of the most widely used pesticides in the world.  

Not only does it make it difficult from the blood  to clot, leading to severe bleeding, but it stays  

in the blood for up to nine months. It’s not a  surprise it’s a best-seller for exterminators.

But it can target larger animals too.

Brodifacoum is powerful enough that it can take  out larger pests like opossums - but humans  

aren’t safe either. Any human who ingests it can  survive - but only if they’re treated quickly,  

with infusions of Vitamin K and possibly  blood transfusions. And these treatments  

will need to continue until the poison is  out of the blood, which can be months - if  

it’s caught before heavy bleeding begins. The  good news is, it’s not too easy to ingest this!  

Most cases involve people accidentally  consuming rat poison - or being poisoned  

with it. But this potent poison isn’t something  humans are likely to come across regularly.

Neither is this next one - but that  doesn’t keep people from seeking it out.

#9. Tetrodotoxin

The sushi chef carefully slices the fish.  But he’s not just looking to avoid wasting  

valuable fish with sloppy cuts - he’s  attempting to avoid painful death for  

the diner. That’s because he’s slicing pufferfish,  

which contains the lethal tetrodotoxin - one  of the most powerful neurotoxins in the world.  

While the poison is found in other animals  like the Blue-Ringed Octopus and Moon Snail,  

it’s actually produced by bacteria - and it  packs a punch. This sodium-channel blocker  

poison basically shuts down the nervous  system and keeps muscles from contracting.

And if it affects a human, the odds are grim.

It can enter the bloodstream by being eaten,  injected, or absorbed by the skin. It causes  

paralysis, trouble breathing, vomiting, seizures,  and eventually total respiratory failure.  

Death comes within six hours, while the victim is  usually completely paralyzed but still conscious.  

There is no known antidote, but some people  have survived thanks to fast-moving respiratory  

aid - keeping them alive until the poison  starts wearing off. They usually recover  

fully - but the majority of those infected by  this deadly neurotoxin never get that chance.

You may be surprised by just how  often you eat this next poison…

#8. Cyanide

It’s oddly sweet, almost like a marzipan  flavor. You may have tasted it when you bit  

into an apricot pit as a child. But don’t get  addicted - that harmless-looking fruit pit is  

actually packing a deadly punch. It’s loaded  with cyanide, a chemical compound that is  

poisonous in many forms. It’ll take a lot of  eating apricot pits to get poisoned, though,  

which is unlikely - except when some health  food companies started marketing the pits as a  

nutrition-packed food! But most of us consume  this chemical regularly with no ill effects.

But that doesn’t mean cyanide will stay harmless.

When processed, cyanide gains a much more powerful  toxic kick. Sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide  

are two of the deadlier forms, and can affect the  heart and central nervous system. And when it’s  

turned into a gas, hydrogen cyanide, it can become  a deadly aerosol that can incapacitate or kill a  

large group of people. Fortunately, an antidote is  available, since the compound hydroxocobalamin can  

neutralize cyanide and turn it into a compound  that the kidneys can eliminate. That’s one of  

the perks of a much more common poison - it’s  easier to crack the case of how to stop it.

This next poison also comes  from an unassuming source.

#7. Strychnine

The Strychnos nux-vomica tree is a nice, mid-sized  tree that grows in India and Southeast Asia,  

but it has another name - the poison nut  tree. That’s because its nuts contain  

the deadly poison strychnine, a powerful  neurotoxin. It works by shutting down the  

nerve fibers in the spinal cord, which makes  it impossible for the muscles to contract.  

The poison is a defense mechanism for the tree,  because it’s only absorbed if the nuts are chewed.  

Birds will eat them whole, poop  them out, and spread the seeds,  

but mammals aren’t likely to - so  they’ll rarely eat them more than once.

Strychnine is deadly - but it also has its uses.

It’s highly poisonous, and as such makes an  effective pesticide. It’s usually used to wipe  

out mid-sized or even large pests like gophers  and coyotes. However, using it as rat poison  

has fallen out of favor because the potent  baits can kill anything that comes across  

it - including pets. For humans, it causes  muscle spasms, possible kidney failure, seizures,  

and respiratory failure in high doses. While  there is no specific antidote, the best chance  

for recovery is neutralizing it or removing it  from the stomach - so get that stomach pump ready.

This next poison is so deadly,  it made its way into war.

#6. Ricin

The castor oil plant has many uses, but its  seeds pack a powerful punch. They contain ricin,  

a carbohydrate-binding protein that’s  one of the deadliest in the world.  

It can kill easily by being inhaled, injected, or  eaten - and can even be absorbed through the eyes  

or through minor wounds on the skin. It causes  the body to not be able to synthesize protein,  

and can cause damage to the gastrointestinal  tract. But if it stays in the system long enough,  

it can start to affect just about every  organ including the central nervous system.

It’s deadly enough that it even  attracted the attention of world powers.

World War I was notorious for its use  of toxic gas and poison as weapons.  

The United States looked into Ricin as one of  its agents, considering coating bullets with  

it or using it as a dusting weapon. The  war ended before it could be weaponized,  

but both the US and the USSR wound up keeping  weaponized samples in store - that were thankfully  

never used. While it was never used in war,  it was used to assassinate several dissidents  

in Russia and Eastern Europe, and Ricin powder  was sent to politicians in the US in letters.  

While right now treatment is limited, the US and  UK militaries are testing the first Ricin vaccine.

And now we’re getting into the top five -  starting with the deadliest man-made toxic.

#5. VX

It looks like engine oil, but this  synthetic nerve agent compound is  

packing only one thing - killing power. When  ICI developed it as an insecticide in the 1950s,  

they discovered it worked a little too well. It  interferes with the transmission of nerve cells,  

and causes muscle contractions and respiratory  failure. So volatile and dangerous,  

it was eventually taken out of development as a  pesticide, but it wouldn’t be long before other  

powers realized it could be used for something  else - a deadly, hard to stop assassination tool.

And VX became world-famous in 2017.

Kim Jong-Nam was the half-brother of the notorious  leader of North Korea, Kim-Jong-Un. He had left  

North Korea and was traveling to a resort in  Malaysia when he was approached by two women.  

They splashed him with a liquid and exposed  him to more of the substance with a cloth.  

He was taken to a hospital, but died soon after -  and an investigation revealed the poison was VX.  

As VX is a liquid, the best way to avoid  death is through early decontamination  

and injection with sedatives, but only standard  antidotes for nerve agents are available.

You may be tempted to give the source of this  next poison a little pat on the head. Don’t.

#4. Batrachotoxin.

They’re among the most striking creatures in the  jungle. Tiny frogs with skin that combines black  

with brightly colored patches. But they’re  also among the most poisonous creatures in  

the world - their skin is coated with a potent  neurotoxin named Batrachotoxin. It affects the  

peripheral nervous system in a way that blocks  nerve signal transmission to the muscles,  

causing permanent and fatal paralysis. Not  only that, but it has a powerful effect on  

heart muscles and leads to cardiac arrest.  Even scarier, no antidote is available.

But that doesn’t keep some  people from coming close to them.

These frogs are most famous by another name -  poison dart frogs. That’s because indigenous  

residents have been using them for a long time -  very carefully. They scrape off a small layer of  

the poisonous skin coating and use it to coat a  dart that they then shoot out through a blowgun.  

It turns a mildly annoying weapon into a deadly  one to deter any invaders. While the poison is  

one of the deadliest in the world, some success in  treating it has come from an unexpected source -  

tetrodotoxin, which is found in puffer fish and  can reverse the effect on the nerve membranes.

To find the source of this next  toxin, look towards the sea.

#3. Maitotoxin

Algae blooms in the sea can provide a pop  of color in the water, but they can also  

create some of the most deadly toxins on the  planet. The tiny dinoflagellate, a plankton,  

creates a compound that has one of the  most complicated structures of any toxin.  

This makes it a massive challenge for scientists  to understand and develop treatments for - which  

is a big problem for anyone who encounters this  deadly cardiotoxin. It activates extra calcium  

channels in the cells, leading to heart  failure that is almost invariably fatal.

And it packs a lot of power in a small package.

Testing on this toxin is limited,  because it’s so rarely encountered.  

But results indicate that less than one nanogram  is a fatal dose of Maitotoxin for a mouse.  

No one knows the exact dose that will kill a human  - but the odds are that any amount encountered in  

nature would be enough. So be careful around  any colorful patches in the ocean, although  

not everything swimming around is vulnerable.  Oddly, scientists have observed that certain  

fish native to coral reefs are immune to the  toxin - and can eat all the plankton they want.

But what is the deadliest toxin around?

#2. Botulinum Toxin

This toxin hides where you least expect it  - in your food. In 18th century Germany,  

a case of food poisoning linked to sausage  led to the discovery of Botulinum toxin  

for the first time. Six people died, and  it became known as “sausage poisoning”.  

Future incidents revealed that it was likely to  happen with improperly canned or preserved foods.  

A tiny bacteria that can kill an  adult human with only a few nanograms,  

it’s a neurotoxin that affects muscles and nerves  and causes paralysis. While it exists in nature,  

it only grows and activates when it’s starved of  oxygen - making it deadly in enclosed atmospheres.

But it’s turned out to have some unexpected uses.

During World War II, studies  were conducted on weaponizing it,  

but it was never released in combat. It would find  a second life, though - in medical science! The  

toxin is highly effective at causing paralysis,  and when processed and neutralized partially,  

it can be used to control disorders causing  involuntary eye disorders. But this deadly toxin  

would have its breakout moment when it became one  of the most popular cosmetic treatments - Botox!  

Regular injections create localized paralysis  in the facial muscles and reduce wrinkles.

But one deadly substance outclasses it all.  

In fact, a single drop packs enough deadly  power to kill everyone on the planet.

#1. Polonium

Bacteria. Neurotoxins. Plant extracts. All  of them pack some deadly toxins, but none  

can approach the poison level of one chemical  element. Polonium, a heavily radioactive metal,  

is one of the rarest elements in the world.  It was first identified by the Curies in 1898  

and it has one key characteristic - it is  extremely radioactive. And with radioactivity  

comes toxicity to humans. While it has some  scientific applications, it is so potent that  

any use of it is extremely risky, because it takes  very little to cause fatal radiation poisoning.

How little, exactly?

Estimates are that as little as seven trillionths  of a gram of polonium can kill any adult - and  

a whole gram might be able to kill an entire  country. Because it’s both toxic and radioactive,  

there is no effective treatment or antidote and  exposure is invariably fatal - as former FSB  

agent Alexander Livinenko found out the hard  way when he was poisoned in London by Russian  

agents. The good news is, you’re not likely to  come across it in your everyday life - it can  

be produced from uranium, but it would take tons  of uranium to produce a single dose of polonium.  

A procedure to irradiate bismuth with neutrons  has also been shown to produce polonium,  

but it remains one of the trickiest elements  to produce. And the only people with access  

are nuclear-powered nations. Let’s  hope they use that power responsibly.

For more on one of the most notorious poisons,  watch “How Does Cyanide Poisoning Actually Work”,  

or watch this video instead.