A Deadly Spider Venom That Can Save Lives

Australian scientists have discovered a potentially lifesaving treatment for heart attack victims. Incredibly, it comes from the venom of the world’s deadliest spider. Existing treatments reduce blood clots, but they don’t block the “death signal”—what doctors call the body’s inability to send blood, and thereby oxygen, to the heart after an attack. Because of its effect on cell acidity, a protein produced by the Fraser Island (K’gari) funnelweb spider blocks the death signal, allowing more heart cells to survive. As well as giving heart attack victims better outcomes, the drug now being developed could also extend the life of donor hearts used for organ transplants.