![]() ![]() Horrifying study suggests pythons kill their prey by squeezing until the brain becomes over-pressurized. Related content: A scientific use for… used tampons?!? Snakes are ‘righties’–with their penis, that is. Wearing long denim pants as an alternative to shorts may provide a simple, low-cost means of reducing the severity of snakebites. CONCLUSION: In our model, denim clothing proved effective at reducing venom injection by both small and large rattlesnakes. Large rattlesnakes struck more readily, maintained longer fang contact during the bite, and delivered 26 to 41 times more venom into gloves than small snakes. Several findings suggested that denim interfered with venom delivery, including the high proportion of dry bites for denim-covered gloves and the large quantity of venom spilled harmlessly on the denim cover. Latency to bite, number of bites, and duration of fang contact during the bite were similar for the 2 glove types, suggesting that the 2 targets elicited similar defensive behaviors and strikes. RESULTS: The snakes injected significantly less venom into denim-covered gloves than bare gloves during defensive strikes, with a 60% reduction for small snakes and 66% for large snakes. Each snake was videotaped biting a bare glove and a denim-covered glove. Conservation Status Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct Data Deficient Not Evaluated Eastern indigo snake News Feb. METHODS: In a laboratory study, we used model human limbs (warm, saline solution-filled gloves) to elicit defensive strikes from small and large southern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus helleri). Fun Facts Eastern indigo snakes are the longest snakes found in the U.S., reaching an average length of 5-7 feet. We seek to learn whether ordinary clothing (denim material from blue jeans) interferes with the kinematics of venom delivery, thereby reducing the amount of venom injected by a representative viper into a human limb. STUDY OBJECTIVE: Venomous snakebites can be painful, costly, and potentially life threatening. Jackson wore jeans on that plane! Denim clothing reduces venom expenditure by rattlesnakes striking defensively at model human limbs. Turns out the snakes were only able to inject a third of the venom into the be-jeaned limbs, leaving venom to be harmlessly absorbed by the denim fabric. These scientists filmed rattlesnakes striking fake limbs, some of which were covered in denim. ![]() But how can you protect yourself if you do happen to get bitten? According to this study, one way to reduce your venom exposure is to wear jeans. Image: Flickr/Brent Myers Snake venom is something best avoided entirely. ![]()
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