Since time began humans have looked for more and more effective ways of killing and maiming each other. For this end poison has always been a popular, if not a little sophisticated, choice. Even back in ancient times the rich, powerful and unpopular would … [Read more...]
10 of the Most Dangerous Drugs
There have been any number of studies on what might be the world's most dangerous drugs over the years. A problem many of these have is they focus on only one aspect of what makes any particular drug harmful. For example, how much damage to society does … [Read more...]
10 Most Dangerous Chemical Elements
There are somewhere in the region of 118 elements that are known of. The reason for being vague is that some are thought to exist but have never been observed. Of these 98 occur naturally. Very few of these elements are completely harmless and most … [Read more...]
Most Poisonous Mushrooms
Everybody knows that for most of us going into the woods to pick and eat a random selection of toadstools and mushrooms is pretty much like playing Russian roulette - it's been drummed into us since we were reading fairy tales. The point is unless you are … [Read more...]
The Deadliest Infectious Diseases
As far as I am aware there is no such thing as a good diseases but believe me some are worse than others. Whilst it is a ecological necessity that infectious disease pathogens evolve to spread more efficiently there is no obvious reason why some of them … [Read more...]
The Most Venomous Animals in the World
It seems that our fears of animals are based around two main themes; there are those with the big pointy teeth that are just looking for an excuse to eat us alive and there are those that, whilst seemingly innocuous, pack a secret weapon so deadly … [Read more...]
10 Most Poisonous Plants in the World
As plants aren't, by their nature, very mobile they have developed a variety of ways of protecting themselves from all things herbivorous. Many have evolved spikes, stings and even just an unpleasant taste. However, many went down the route of the … [Read more...]
Incredible Photos of Nuclear Explosions
If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one... ...Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Those were the words of Robert Oppenheimer in 1945 after Trinity atomic … [Read more...]
The 10 Deadliest Viruses
So, what is the deadliest virus on Earth? You'd think this might be an easy enough question to answer but it turns out there is more than one way to define deadliest. For instance is it the virus that kills the most people overall (death rate); or is it … [Read more...]
Worst Natural Disasters by Type
Whilst man has proved very effective at killing himself there is still some healthy competition from Mother Nature. The natural world contain any number of potentially deadly animals but the effects of all these put together are almost insignificant when … [Read more...]
The World’s Most Dangerous Volcanoes
On the morning of August 27th 1883 the small Indonesian island of Krakatoa virtually destroyed itself in a series of cataclysmic explosions the likes of which have never been witnessed in human history before or since. Not only was the explosion the … [Read more...]
The Most Devastating Tsunamis in History
In the modern world there is sometimes a complacency that we have somehow conquered nature. This belief can be destroyed in moments when the planet reminds us this is not the case, and in the most brutal ways. Of all these tsunamis are one of the most … [Read more...]
Most Dangerous Allergies
For an ever increasing number of us allergies are an annoying and often unpleasant fact of life. Come spring and summer it's time to break out the tissues and medications, or for the even less fortunate the scratching and sneezing might be an all year … [Read more...]
