Crazed sheep die ‘like heroin addicts’ That’s the catchy headline of a recent article about mass sheep poisonings, and the full article can be read here. It’s meant to entice the headline reader to click through to read the article. I get it. Journalism, however you want to define it, is a business. And businesses such … Continue reading
Category Archives: In the News
Ricin Double Feature: A Tale of Two Knuckleheads
I have been holding off on writing about ricin, not because it isn’t fascinating and one of Nature’s most deadly poisons, but because I wanted to do it justice. I wanted to put some thought and effort into it. You know, do it up right. And I will, but two Knuckleheads got in the … Continue reading
Okadaic Acid: Diarrheal Shellfish Poisoning . . . oh my!
An algal bloom forces the precautionary shutdown of oystering in Galveston Bay (Texas), as reported by Galveston County’s Daily News. Since oyster season is only six months long, and ends April 30th, this closure is sure to have an economic impact in the area. But it’s just an algal bloom, what’s the big deal? Well, … Continue reading
Hydrangea Highs and Cyanide Lows
This has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve read in a while: “French hydrangea thieves search for the high life.” One, stealing someones plants, or those from a public garden or arboretum, is low. People spend time taking care of them so that others may enjoy them. And two, stealing them to get … Continue reading
Nicotine Poisoning: Made Easier by e-Cigs
That smoking tobacco products is unhealthy comes as no surprise to any individual with a pulse. It is impossible for me to imagine someone thinking that inhaling smoke into their lungs could be anything less than harmful. Firefighters wear sixty pounds of respiration gear for the sole purpose of not inhaling smoke. But I digress. … Continue reading
Scombroid Poisoning: Histamine and Bad Fish
Scombroid poisoning from fish is a common type of food poisoning. We are all aware of food poisonings due to E. coli, salmonella, and natural toxins from mushrooms and pufferfish, but scombroid poisoning is a bit different. The source of scombroid poisoning is from the chemical histamine, which comes naturally from decaying fish. Its name, scombroid, is … Continue reading
Teen Arrested for Selling Abrin Online
A Florida teen, 19-year-old Jesse William Korff, was arrested for allegedly selling one of the world’s most deadly poisons, abrin, to undercover federal agents. Korff used the online Black Market Reloaded (BMR) to sell the deadly poison in exchange for relatively untraceable Bitcoins and cash. The bust also revealed a pipe bomb and a methamphetamine lab. … Continue reading