How Snake Venom Sparked An Evolutionary Arms Race

For some, the rise and spread of venomous elapids was just another challenge to adapt to. For others, it was a catastrophe of almost apocalyptic proportions. And we humans are no exception, because it seems that when elapids slithered onto the ecological scene, not even our ancestors were safe…

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References:

[Cat_Woods]

It often strikes me when we say something like "the species developed resistance to this" that it really means "a whole lot of the species died." The way we say it so often implies that individuals are sitting around strategizing and planning how to evolve. We even sometimes say "evolutionary strategy." But it's actually that a whole lot of individuals died out and a few survived through a lucky fluke that was then passed on.

[mk_rexx]

For a video with "Evolutionary Arms Race" in the title, I still got caught off guard by snakes evolving venom squirt guns in response to primates with pointy sticks.

[Balthazar]

A limbless animal in an arms race is hilarious.

[tedetienne]

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is, ‘Never get involved in a land war in Asia, ’ but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Caecilian when death is on the line!’

[eb]

they lost their limbs and made it everyone else's problem

[scpatlnow]

What I think is also fascinating is how some types of non venomous snakes adapted to look like venomous snakes to avoid predators. Some common garter snakes will pull back a flare their head like a cobra, and many snakes here in Georgia mimic coral snakes and copper heads...but in general...it's best to avoid all of them.

[turingtestflunker]

As Hank said, They ARE friends, just far away friends. Like Bobcats. Humans need to learn how to love things we can't touch or possess.

[Shane-kwvc]

As an Australian I'd like to point out that Elapids are shy prey animals of humans who cause as many deaths per year as bees. So dont poke them but give them some love by appreciating at a distance, they are very pretty and chill.

[akechijubeimitsuhide]

Snek: I'll just use status effects
Caecilian: IMMUNE
Snek: that's cheating
Caecilian: git gud

[JO-chel]

Caecilians used to talk with their hands but lost them in the arms race. That's why they're so quiet nowadays.

[kampfret]

1:36 "because obviously... Australia" 😂😂😂

[GustavSvard]

4:22 wait, reversing the polarity is a real thing that stops the enemy's weapons from hurting you? I thought that was just a StarTrek thing!

[davidls]

Fun fact: different organisms adapted separately to prey on elapids across continents:

In the Americas, colubrids like kingsnakes prey on coral snakes
In Africa and Asia, mustelids and other small mammals like mongooses prey on cobras and mambas
In Australia, monitor lizards prey on taipans and brown snakes.

All eveolved high resistance to their venom separately

[fyang]

"When you fight history, it fights back"
Yeah that's about the hominids and the cobras

[dominicconway]

As a chemist, that flipping of the charge to repel the toxin is 🤤

[terramater]

Snakes are, at the same time, scary and fascinating! Interestingly enough, they were able to take control of a whole island in Brazil. No people, just something like 2, 000 snakes and our crew was (un)lucky enough to get this golden lancehead-controlled territory on camera. It's crazy!

[rafaeltoranzo]

PBS EONS is like your comfort channel when you’re sick

[keanudupont]

The honey badger is so stubborn that evolution lost and said fine You can be resistant 😂

[COO]

No wonder, all primates have this primordial fear of snakes. Just watch our cousin, Mr. Monkey going bonkers over the sight of a snake.

[AccidentalNinja]

When your evolution forces everything else to change...