Cone Snails Venom for Newer and Better Medicines

More than 800 species of cone snails have been found worldwide, mostly in warmer, tropical areas. They are reclusive, faceless creatures and not aggressive, but will sting defensively when picked up by an unwitting shell collector. Cone snails have inspired humans for centuries. A team of research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are seeking new ways to cure old medical problems using the poisonous snails as models.