snake

While influencer Elvish Yadav’s lavish lifestyle has played a big part in him achieving more followers on social media, it could well turn out that his entire persona built on social media is fake. Well, that’s what his parents have asserted, in a recent interview, by claiming that Elvish Yadav does not own sportscars or even the expensive duplex flats that everyone were made to believe he does. Elvish Yadav was arrested this week on charges of arranging snake venom at a rave party last year. While Elvish…

Scientists have discovered a new species of giant anaconda, the northern green anaconda, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The discovery was made during an expedition invited by the Waorani people. The team’s findings highlight the genetic uniqueness of the species and the ecological threats facing the Amazon, underscoring the urgent need for conservation efforts. Credit: Jesus RivasA team of scientists on location with a film crew in the remote Amazon has uncovered a previously undocumented species of giant anaconda.Professor…

Snake Steak Could Be a Climate-Friendly Source of ProteinPythons turn their food into meat pretty efficiently, a study finds, making them an intriguing alternative to climate-unfriendly cowsBy Meghan BartelsReticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus). Credit: Paul Starosta/Getty ImagesPut aside your chicken cutlets and meatloaf and say hello to python curries and satay skewers. Some snake scientists think eating these reptiles—already customary or at least acceptable in parts of the world—might help lessen the damage…

If you're bitten by a venomous snake, the medicine you need is antivenom. Unfortunately, antivenoms are species specific, meaning you need to have the right antivenom for the snake that bit you. Most of the time, people have no idea what species of snake has bitten them. And for some snakes, antivenoms are simply not available.New research my colleagues and I conducted provides a significant step forward in enabling the development of an antivenom that will neutralize the effects of venom from any venomous snake: a…

A study reveals the rapid evolution of snakes, outpacing lizards, enabled their diversification and ecological success across the globe. By analyzing genetic data and dietary habits, researchers underscore snakes’ unique evolutionary path and ability to specialize in various prey, marking them as a significant evolutionary success story despite the mystery surrounding their adaptive radiation. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comMore than 100 million years ago, the ancestors of the first snakes were small lizards…

Roughly 128 million years ago snakes suddenly burst into an abundant existence on Earth, eventually diversifying into the 4,000 or so species we see today.Yet their prevalence can't be solely attributed to their most obvious characterizing traits: abandonment of limbs and body elongation. While 25 different groups of lizards are limbless, no other type of reptile has reached the explosive level of diversity seen among snakes.To explain their success, Stony Brook University evolutionary macroecologist Pascal Title and…

Brown morph of Shah’s Eyelash-Pitviper (Bothriechis rasikusumorum). This species is named after the Shah family. It is endemic to Huila department in southeastern Colombia, where it inhabits montane cloud forests and coffee plantations. Credit: Jose VieiraScientists have identified five new eyelash viper species in Colombia and Ecuador with unique appearances.A group of scientists led by researchers of Khamai Foundation discovered five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and…

We might be soon on the verge of having a super snake antivenom. In new research, a team of scientists says they’ve created a lab-made antibody geared to counteract toxic bites from a wide variety of snakes. In early tests with mice, the uber-antivenom appeared to work as intended.What Drew Noomi Rapace to Constellation?Snake antivenom is typically derived from the antibodies of horses or other animals that produce a strong immune response to snake toxins. These donated antibodies can be highly effective at preventing…

Scientists have discovered Tudors’s Coffee-Snake, a new species endemic to Ecuador’s cloud forests. Found by biologist Alejandro Arteaga, it resides in coffee plantations at high elevations. This discovery highlights the need for conservation in cloud forests and surrounding habitats, with the species naming aiding in such efforts. Credit: Alejandro ArteagaResearchers from Khamai Foundation and Liberty University have identified a new species of coffee snake, endemic to the cloud forests in northwestern Ecuador.Biologist…

As one of the best action movies to have ever graced the big screen, Kurt Russell and John Carpenter’s Escape from New York remains an all-time classic. As a major influence on Hideo Kojima’s equally iconic PlayStation game Metal Gear Solid, the resemblance between that pixelated protagonist and his flesh and blood namesake has always been so uncanny. So much so that it’s been rumored Russell was offered the role of Solid Snake back in the day. Whether or not that’s totally true, the legendary actor’s reason for turning…