Its venom has been called the most expensive liquid in the world — also one of the deadliest. Does the deathstalker scorpion live up to the international hype, or is it just another victim of popular science exaggeration?
As it turns out, its reputation is probably deserved. But it’s been amplified by a generous dose of PR magic and some sloppy reporting.
Known until relatively recently as the yellow scorpion, the deathstalker was just a desert-dwelling arthropod, picking off insects with its lethal sting and spending the rest of its time hiding under rocks. Then, the use of its venom in a series of remarkable cancer treatment innovations catapulted it to greater renown.
Likely because the name “yellow scorpion” isn’t particularly attention-grabbing, it eventually became known as the deathstalker instead. A deadly scorpion saving lives? Click. So far, so good. Nothing wrong with a sprinkling of stardust in the name ...
