Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Science

Pain isn't the point: European viper venoms may have evolved to subdue prey

For many people, the fear of venomous snakes is linked to one thing: pain. Yet new research led by scientists at Bangor University suggests that, for Europe's vipers, at least, causing pain may never have been a driving force in the evolution of their venom.

Pain isn't the point: European viper venoms may have evolved to subdue prey
Image: Phys.org
For many people, the fear of venomous snakes is linked to one thing: pain. Yet new research led by scientists at Bangor University suggests that, for Europe's vipers, at least, causing pain may never have been a driving force in the evolution of their venom.

Originally published at Phys.org

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