What's it like to get bit by a venomous snake? "It's like a bee sting times a thousand," Tim Friede says. Tim would know. Over the past few decades, he's let himself be bitten over 200 times by all kinds of venomous snakes — black mambas, taipans, cobras, kraits and more. With time, he's gradually built immunity to multiple types of venom. Could scientists help him share that immunity with others? Science reporter Ari Daniel joins Short Wave to explain how antivenom works, what scientists discovered and where the research may lead. Plus, what does Tim Friede have in common with Princess Bride?Want to hear about more medical discoveries? Email us at [email protected] to tell us what areas of science you'd be interested in.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What are the dangers of venomous snake bites?
Yes, I've memorized that movie.
Perfect. So you already know that in the movie there's this fictional poison called Iocane powder.
Yes, this is what I thought of as soon as you told me about this story.
Right. I smell nothing.
What you do not smell is called Iocane powder. It is odorless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in liquid, and is among the more deadly poisons known to man.
Wesley, he's one of the main characters who was just speaking, he ultimately reveals that he's built up an immunity to this poison by starting with a small dose that wasn't enough to kill him and gradually increasing that dosage over time.
I spent the last few years building up an immunity to iocane powder.
This is more or less what Tim did, Regina, except with snake venom. He admits it's been something of a rocky road, though. Right out of the gate, he says this happened.
What?
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