I Vacuum Venom from the World's Deadliest Spider

Go to our sponsor betterhelp.com/veritasium to get matched with a professional therapist who will listen and help.
▀▀▀
Huge thanks to the Australian Reptile Park for having us over to film - special thanks to Jake Meney for showing us the spiders and Caitlin Vine for organizing the shoot. www.reptilepark.com.au
Huge thanks to Dr Timothy Jackson with his help and answering our questions.
Thanks to Seqirus Australia for providing B-roll footage of the antivenom production process.
▀▀▀
References:
Pineda, S. S., Sollod, B. L., Wilson, D., Darling, A., Sunagar, K., Undheim, E. A., ... & King, G. F. (2014). Diversification of a single ancestral gene into a successful toxin superfamily in highly venomous Australian funnel-web spiders. BMC genomics, 15(1), 1-16 - ve42.co/Pineda2014
Isbister, G. K., Gray, M. R., Balit, C. R., Raven, R. J., Stokes, B. J., Porges, K., ... & Fisher, M. M. (2005). Funnel-web spider bite: a systematic review of recorded clinical cases. Medical journal of Australia, 182(8), 407-411 - ve42.co/Isbister2005
Herzig, V., Sunagar, K., Wilson, D. T., Pineda, S. S., Israel, M. R., Dutertre, S., ... & Fry, B. G. (2020). Australian funnel-web spiders evolved human-lethal δ-hexatoxins for defense against vertebrate predators. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(40), 24920-24928 - ve42.co/Herzig2020
Nicholson, G. M., & Graudins, A. (2002). Spiders of medical importance in the Asia-Pacific: Atracotoxin, latrotoxin and related spider neurotoxins. Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 29(9), 785-794 - ve42.co/Nicholson2002
Fletcher, J. I., Chapman, B. E., Mackay, J. P., Howden, M. E., & King, G. F. (1997). The structure of versutoxin (δ-atracotoxin-Hv1) provides insights into the binding of site 3 neurotoxins to the voltage-gated sodium channel. Structure, 5(11), 1525-1535 - ve42.co/Fletcher1997
Australian Reptile Park. (2022). Snake and Spider First Aid - ve42.co/ARPFirstAid
The Australian Museum. (20 ). Spider facts - ve42.co/SpiderFacts
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
Orlando Bassotto, Tj Steyn, meg noah, Bernard McGee, KeyWestr, Amadeo Bee, TTST, Balkrishna Heroor, John H. Austin, Jr., john kiehl, Anton Ragin, Benedikt Heinen, Diffbot, Gnare, Dave Kircher, Burt Humburg, Blake Byers, Evgeny Skvortsov, Meekay, Bill Linder, Paul Peijzel, Josh Hibschman, Mac Malkawi, Juan Benet, Ubiquity Ventures, Richard Sundvall, Lee Redden, Stephen Wilcox, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Michael Krugman, and Sam Lutfi
▀▀▀
Written by Katie Barnshaw & Derek Muller
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Filmed by Petr Lebedev, Derek Muller and Jason Tran
Animation by Ivy Tello, Jakub Misiek and Fabio Albertelli
Neuron animation by Reciprocal Space - www.reciprocal.space
Additional video/photos supplied from Getty Images, Pond5
B-roll supplied by Seqirus Australia
Music from Epidemic Sound
Produced by Derek Muller, Petr Lebedev, Emily Zhang & Katie Barnshaw

[@leo-hao]

Remember, the cure for an irrational fear of spiders is to simply move to Australia. You'll still be afraid of spiders, but now, it is perfectly rational.

[@toastedbacon1219]

@@tuclance you missed the joke

[@ThomasJackPotter]

It’s just to change your perspective. Realise they’re not interested in hurting you unless you give them a reason

[@Habdabi]

​@@ThomasJackPotteryeah but it's the hiding spiders that you gotta watch out for. Huntsman in Australia have a famous story for dropping on your lap in a car from the sun visor being opened

[@aussiebloke609]

That's the argument I've been using for years when someone tells me I'm arachnophobic. My fear is perfectly rational, considering what I grew up with. 😋

[@imoutodaisuki]

@@tuclance or just use brain, and understand the joke.

[@marshalbaek5580]

Out of the top 10 most deadly critters in the world, Australia seems to have 12 of them.

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

If we harness the anomaly in Australia that allows reality to defy the laws of mathematics, we can finally crack the secret to FTL travel

[@Rhapsody_Sky]

@@imveryangryitsnotbutter but only in australia - wohoo

[@fabrb26]

Yet the most deadly , vicious , nasty species out there is the mighty homo sapiens

[@mycosys]

*poisonous/venomous. Theres nothing here that _wants_ to rip you apart to eat you, like a bear or wolf or coyote pack. Its mostly a case of FAFO

[@DKofDAH]

You‘re not so far off, although you said it as a joke. Austria actually has the top 12 most venomous creatures on this planet depending who you ask. But they also have very few death because of people like these that make antivenom

[@Meekahel]

The fact that no one died of that spider in 40 years, justify this guy's work. Thanks for doing what you are doing.

[@PfropfNo1]

Yes it is amazing. Nevertheless the video kinda lacks info that the total number of recorded deaths ever is 13. While it’s potentially deadly, most bitten people don’t show severe symptoms and even if you get severe symptoms, most likely you are gonna be fine. It’s a little bit like covid. No big deal for most people but potentially deadly anyway. And the venom is not human to human transmittable of course.

[@HarpreetSingh-xg2zm]

@@PfropfNo1It says it could kill in 76 minutes. It is deadly if not taken care of.

[@PfropfNo1]

​@@HarpreetSingh-xg2zm yes, that’s true, it can potentially kill fast but that’s no contradiction to my statement. How long something takes to kill you does not correlate to the risk of death. Smoking might take years to kill you, electric charge might take a second. Both could do nothing as well. The question is how you define „deadly“. Covid is also deadly.

[@tallurirahul5077]

​@@PfropfNo1There is a technical word for it-dosage. If the dosage is very less, you could be fine....

[@YouTube]

shoutout to the Australian Reptile Park for saving lives since 1981

[@PingSharp]

shoutout to KZbin for watching Veritasium

[@Robbinthehoodreal]

Im official famous than youtube itself as i got 10k likes in one day

[@Cupcake2.0]

Lol yt

[@smizal4834]

@@PingSharp😂😂😂😂😂

[@jamesiyer4937]

Nice one youtube

[@nickbob2003]

The fact that no one has died from one in 40 years is pretty amazing

[@messi8459]

that we know of*

[@DemsW]

@@rodriguezelfeliz4623 a very painful method

[@cogbait]

@@rodriguezelfeliz4623there are faster and less painful ways

[@MrMonkey2150]

Unlikely

[@maximusowo]

well having people check their shoes ingrained into them since early childhood must contribute some as well

[@SimBol1216]

My friend got bitten by one of these guys. I thought it was weird that a spider biologist would want to randomly bite another person, but people are into weird stuff.

[@brenda5511]

😂

[@Eyes0penNoFear]

Is he the guy who got bit during a family brawl and almost lost his leg?

[@chungusfootfungus]

You had us in the first half

[@jpfidalgo7]

highly underrated comment up there!

[@algirdasnausedas324]

It's fun and all until you realise how many anti - spider biologists had to be milked to get antivenom.

[@BryStrange]

Hey so the spider shown in the clip at 0:30 is a Funnel Weaver spider from the family Agelenidae and are not dangerous at all. The species this video is about is the Sydney Funnel-web Spider (Atrax robustus). They are not closely related. I hope this clears up any misinformation. Don't want people thinking the harmless Funnel Weavers can kill them.

[@k00ms]

How many spiders do you own?

[@andrecook4268]

I came here to say this.

[@jtktomb8598]

I realy hope they will correct this

[@MasTiempoPorFa]

I noticed it didn't look like a funnel web. Thanks for the info

[@CrocAU]

yeah like what the hell veritasium, i expected better from you

[@PfropfNo1]

In case anyone wonders: 13 deaths caused by this spider were recorded in total (all before 1981). Most people survive the bite even without antidote. I don’t want to talk bad about this project. Not at all. I just feel like these info were missing for a complete picture of the situation.

[@HarpreetSingh-xg2zm]

Do you have any sources regarding antidote not being needed? The video made it seem like the venom is extremely deadly to humans.

[@PfropfNo1]

​@@HarpreetSingh-xg2zm Well, there is a difference between „it is useless“ and „most people don’t need it“. I would definitely prefer the antidote if i got bitten. But I also got a covid shot despite a statistical risk of less than 0.01% (I’m below 30). That’s what i mean. Covid shot is a good thing. But we shouldn’t act like death is for sure without it. I didn’t find a death rate directly. But the 13 total deaths recorded i find again and again on the internet. With 40 bites per year and 13 deaths ever, you can estimate that most people survive.

[@guilhermegibertoni1299]

@@HarpreetSingh-xg2zmNot every bite injects venom , just like with snakes. So, sometimes the bite is not deadly

[@jhigzzz]

​@@guilhermegibertoni1299but I would still want an antivenom, I would rather trust science than luck

[@sayyamzahid7312]

😮😮

[@ryansandwich1086]

42 years with no deaths is one heck of a success rate! They're doing great work!

[@infinitedeath1384]

Actually it's 44 years now, so 1979. So he was a bit off the mark, but yeah close enough.

[@Volt-sn6gw]

@@infinitedeath1384🤓🤓🤓

[@Uuyrijies1123]

@@Volt-sn6gw That emoji is used by lazy dumbasses. He was just trying to correct him.

[@lukasz96]

@@Volt-sn6gw Are you really trying to "diss" someone for being knowledgeable in the comment section of a science-based KZbin channel? Ignoring the fact that trying to make fun of... knowing stuff is just embarrassing and idiotic, you are an even bigger moron for doing it here.

[@SnailHatan]

Considering there were only 13 before the antivenom, it’s not that amazing. Especially compared to the other venomous creatures in Australia. Still cool, but with a mere 1% death rate _before the antivenom_ let’s not pretend like it’s a miraculous feat.

[@Disc_11]

That’s incredible that not a single person has died in 40 years from a funnel web in Australia.

[@MrKelsomatic]

I was shocked that the program was that successful. Genuinely an amazing achievement.

[@user-je2ql5jm7w]

Time to identify as a spider and murder some Australians

[@Ekvorivious]

Any "Noted" deaths...

[@SagarDas-fs6og]

@@Ekvorivious Yeah basically you need to be alive till you are taken to the hospital. else jesus christ's home

[@Zett76]

Well, before that, 13 people died, in 54 years... so, the spider is not THAT deadly, to begin with. :)

[@Amused_Comfort_Inc]

Hey Veritasium, the first images you showed of "funnel weavers" were actually hololena curta, a grass spider. They are funnel Weavers, apart of a large family of spiders, agelinidae. The Sydney Funnel Web spider is a different genus, and is not a grass spider :)

[@xavierdutton119]

🤓

[@porkypigbaconeggs]

Yep 2 different spiders, 1 deadly the other not

[@DoCc7872]

@@porkypigbaconeggs f* both of 'em, all my homies (me) hate spiders 💀they are cool tho, but I want none of them close to me.

[@awdragonwolf5594]

Thank you for pointing this out, it was really bothering me. They're completely different spiders not even in the same infraorder.

[@porkypigbaconeggs]

Yep, dead within 15mins to 3 days if untreated by a Sydney funnel web.. video is up for views and money.. not educational purposes

[@ghazi707]

I had no idea funnel-web spiders were so incredibly venomous! The fact that their venom can lead to paralysis and death in humans is truly alarming. It's impressive to see the dedication of the team at the Australian Reptile Park in collecting venom from these spiders to produce anti-venom. This life-saving work has saved countless lives, and it's reassuring to know that no one has died from funnel-web spider bites in Australia since 1981. Also, kudos to Derek for shedding light on this important topic and for promoting BetterHelp, making mental health support more accessible to everyone

[@StainedJ]

Used to have these in the swimming pool constantly. Cleaning the pool filter was fun. Alsp jumping into the pool and coming up for air to then see a funnel web sitting on water surface near your face, start swimming backwards and the funnel web getting dragged toward you in your stream of water as you swim away from it, looked like it was chasing you. Childhood memories

[@mdzaidsiddiqui4262]

How are you so casual about it my bro, I would actually have a heart attack and die right there in the pool.

[@StainedJ]

@@mdzaidsiddiqui4262 We grew up with it just being around. Our pool had trees and ferns all around it so it was at least once a week a funnel web would be in the pool. Cleaning the filter full of leaves was the scariest part. But like Derek said, we used to have to bang our shoes against the ground to make sure there wasn't one in there. So we are just used to them

[@brenda5511]

Thanks for the visual, Stained! It’s a good thing this video is sponsored by BetterHelp - I’m calling them now.

[@StainedJ]

@@brenda5511 Hahahaha! I still have a massive phobia of spiders. But I live in the city now. Haven't seen a funnel web in years. I think I never processed my fear and just laughed it off.... ok, maybe I need to call them too

[@Crock0il]

​@@StainedJ my bro, why the bloody hell do you guys leave your shoes outside if there are deadly spiders getting into them around?

[@xXMockapapellaXx]

That animation of venom spreading through the body was very visceral

[@amarissimus29]

Vibrating viscera, very vexing.

[@qwertyca]

@@amarissimus29 Veritably.

[@HermanVonPetri]

Literally true considering the definition of "viscera."

[@MattGarcyaDC]

crazy stuff lol

[@skarloeythomas5172]

@@HermanVonPetri I don’t know how valid ‘literally’ is. Visceral means it’s felt in the core, which is what is called the viscera, compared to cerebral in the cerebra. I guess if you know of people you call something exciting ‘visceral’ it’s valid.

[@godnyx117]

Thank you for bringing awareness about these organizations and people! Hope they can get more support from the Australian government and people!

[@SurgStriker]

Glad to see a video that's kept pretty to the point, only 9 minutes. I've been watching a lot less Veritasium since so many videos are 20-30 minutes, with lots of just repetition and padding. But this one, much more digestible and still fully informative.

[@Quanazer]

Veritasium the only guy who could convince me to sit though looking at spiders for 9 minutes

[@gloverelaxis]

well technically 7m51s before ads. shoutout to SponsorBlock and to everyone who contributes timestamps to it - blessed angels each and every one of you

[@vaibhav3852]

For real man

[@solarctp]

@@gloverelaxis cheers to everyone who saves me time and those who I save time for by flagging sponsorships

[@parable2788]

@@gloverelaxisshhh

[@thaddaeushurst2014]

Tried! Failed!

[@teamneutrophils4654]

My dad once said: "There are some very nasty animals in planet earth, especially in hot areas, exept Australia, which has extra nasty animals."

[@Tker1970]

Every time I tell my wife I'd like to visit Australia, I get a list of animals ready to kill me before I am off the jetway.

[@benhumphreys1871]

@@Tker1970 I don't understand this though, every place has some venomous spiders. At least there are no massive bears.

[@dddmakbema1421]

for me at least, the bear cant surprise you in your shoe, doesn't usually attack and if your attacked its pretty easy to tell if your gonna die or not

[@pedroelias4054]

@@benhumphreys1871 That's not true. Where I live there are no venomous spiders, no bears and no dangerous animals in general.

[@thesquid889]

@@benhumphreys1871well they have even more stuff than usual. Almost everything native there either does nothing or tries to kill you.

[@verybighomer]

Let's all appreciate the hard work and dedication of the cute little bunnies producing the antibodies! They are the real heroes in this story. Go bunnies! 😍🐇🐰

[@sayyamzahid7312]

😢😢

[@namtrng8479]

Being on every predator's menu in nature and incredible helpful to human, can't imagine the earth without these cuties.

[@gmr7901]

я понимаю, что это очень важно для людей, но мне всё равно очень жалко кроликов. люблю их очень сильно

[@EphemeralProductions]

Aww. ❤❤

[@roander1337]

Having caught and donated 3 funnel webs to the Aus reptile park over the years, so awesome to see behind the scenes on what they do with them.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

🎉🎉

[@daskanguru3515]

An arachnophobe's nightmare can be a toxicologist's dream

[@hadensnodgrass3472]

It's only a phobia if it is irrational. In the funnel web spiders case, you should be afraid, very afraid. It is aggressive and extremely venomous.

[@williamthatsmyname]

Toxicologist's wet dream - FTFY

[@abhiravs4711]

imagine an arachnophobe who is a toxicologist

[@ferd1775]

Wet* wet dream....😂

[@bbbb98765]

@@hadensnodgrass3472 It's literally the opposite of aggressive. It's purely defensive. Don't touch it and it won't touch you

[@gcastles3289]

There's a few errors in this video. The spider in the shot at 0.30 when the voiceover says "this is a funnel web spider" is not a funnel web spider. That is a relatively harmless wolf spider. The funnel web is not the world's deadliest, that honour goes to the Brazilian wandering spider. Finally, funnel web spiders are not a single species- they are members of the family Atricidae. The species described in the clip is a Sydney funnel web Atrax robustus; so the correct term for this spider is the Sydney funnel web. Other members of the family are found well outside the range shown in the clip.

[@ghost45891]

NERRRRRRRRRRD!!!!! Jk this is good to know in case I visit somewhere other than Sydney. Still need to watch out for funnel webs.

[@soupcake3092]

Thought that spider looked very different from any funnel web I'd seen. Was just a little unsure because i know there are alot of funnel web species.

[@AlasdairThompson]

Agreed it does look like a wolf spider but it also looks quite close to the funnel weaver spider found in New Mexico and other southern US states. (It's probably a wolf though)

[@afterskool444]

so cool that there's a person out there for everything, like spider trivia!! x) thanks for sharing this information

[@deldarel]

the spider at 30 sec is a funnel web. It's a grass spider like the hobo spider, family Agelenidae. It's still a mistake since they are not even remotely related to the sydney funnel web, they just happen to have the same name. 'Trapdoor spider' has this same issue. As for 'deadly', that depends on your definition. The Brazilian wanderer has more potent venom, but the sydney funnel web injects more per dose, often multiple doses in a row. There are also spiders that are vastly less deadly per bite but still kill more people per timeframe because bites are just that common, like the fiddle-back spiders.

[@RedDesertRoz]

When I was in primary school (here in Sydney), I remember a boy in my class brought a funnel web in to school in a jar. He was passing the container around amongst the students before the teacher arrived. The boy explained that he'd killed the spider, so one brave kid opened the container. Teacher arrived and went absolutely mad. Boy insisted it was safe as he had killed the spider. Teacher asked him how he killed it and he said he drowned it. Teacher furious out of the sheer fear of what could have transpired yells that funnel-webs can survive underwater for more than 24 hours. Class was left inside and teacher went out to deal with the funnel-web. He came back to tell us that when he'd tipped it out, it was alive and well. Freaky as hell and only once more in my life did I see a teacher that angry. We were so lucky nothing happened to any of the kids. I believe the teacher killed the spider for the safety of the students, but these days we are encouraged to try to catch them safely for this anti-venom program.

[@grissee]

7:00 I like how they put this short animation in the video, they don't have to, but they still did it!

[@cybersteel8]

It never occurred to me that the rest of the world wouldn't check their shoes for spiders when they left their shoes outside overnight

[@d313m5]

For one, I don’t leave my shoes outside overnight

[@dioneto6855]

It's common in Brazil, not really because of spiders but because of scorpions.

[@naattxxnaattxx7055]

I check my shoes every day, because my cats sometimes put in them dead bugs.

[@FurrySoren]

We do it here in the Caribbean too, but not necessarily for DEADLY creatures lol. Just harmless lizards and centipedes and stuff.

[@Addison0526]

Where I live there is the black widow and brown recluse, so still very dangerous spiders. They aren't super common though but also not as big so possibly harder to see than the funnel web spiders.

[@caderidley2309]

Im Australian so all of this was pretty common knowledge and nothing really put me off... and then i learnt they can survive underwater and ive definitely picked spiders (not these ones) off the bottom of a pool before. That sent shivers down my spine

[@uddhavsaikia739]

Body's aching all the time Goodbye everybody, I've got to go

[@hdr2540]

Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth.

[@uddhavsaikia739]

@@hdr2540 mamaaaaaa ooUoooUoooU

[@benlanning8795]

The chlorine would kill them

[@djddm8760]

Maybe I am a bit rude and stupid. But I have one question: "Why do people live in australia?" I mean the sahara is probably more uninhabitable then australia. But the people there simply cant afford. Australia on the other hand is rich enough to basically live wherever they want. So australia is probably the richest country with the worst life conditions. Why?

[@sonycans]

Thank goodness that your sessions are below 10 minutes. It was informative, short and sweet.

[@Coexisties]

Yesssssss! Talking about my dream job right here and I am so fascinated by the science behind venom. Thank you for this! -Loved your other episode about the question on why venomous animals tend to live in warmer climates. Cool channel in general, as you make learning extra fun! Note, at 00:30 that appears to be possibly a grass spider, a genus of funnel weavers 😊💕

[@BahFelix5k]

I believe you are correct and I think it was irresponsible for Veritasium to have included its picture.

[@user-hw8un1vj5z]

As an Australian I can confirm we all learn from school age to check our shoes for spiders, and the trees for drop bears

[@whatevereyewant]

Like Koalas dropping on top of you accidentally or actually attacking you?

[@OverloadedDragon]

im not australian, but i also sometimes shake me shoes because when i went camping once when i was 11, 3 daddy-long legs were in my shoes

[@DoggosGames]

@@whatevereyewant Boys, we got him

[@elbertducut5838]

you made me google drop bears and I got genuinely scared of the images HAHA

[@absolutjackal]

Well it would be weird to check your shoes for drop bears but maybe not so weird to check trees for spiders

[@Cavush]

Hats off to all the people doing this hard work every day, so others can be saved. Dealing with the spiders, working in the labs and hospitals, you are the true heroes.

[@billbauer9795]

Your comment would make sense if they were all to be volunteers. They aren't.

[@shadoww7301]

@@billbauer9795 Just because they are getting paid to do it doesn't mean that's the main incentive. We don't know him personally so just leave him alone

[@billbauer9795]

@@shadoww7301 There is Nothing wrong with it being the main incentive. If it Isn't the main reason, the person is dumb/brainwashed, not "heroic".

[@azora52]

@@billbauer9795 you know some poeople actually like spiders right? working with spiders would be a dream come true for me

[@LAFFEN]

@@billbauer9795 It is like thanking a soldier for their national service, even if they get paid it is still honorable work

[@salamsourjah6147]

Thank you , for the valuable information Derek cause my brothers living in Australia, your actually doing a decent job in this channel. I always find the information you give thrilling and important . Good luck for you and your family! ❤from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰

[@RickyL305]

My brother also lives in Australia and is employed on a part time basis besides his full time job with being employed to remove venomous animals from people's homes and such dispatched by the Australian government themselves. He is dispatched from his home residence in Perth Australia and has been doing venomous animal removal for many years now from snakes to spiders alike. The government does keep him pretty busy doing this line of work.

[@johnellison3030]

I worked with a Chinese bloke here in Sydney once. He had no idea of what a Funnel Web Spider even was. So i showed him a picture and he laughed and said that it wan't a big spider and wasn't worried. I then told him it's the most deadliest spider in the world. He still didn't believe me.

[@dionforest8326]

For him, it's snack...

[@taa4340]

@@dionforest8326racist

[@yazi_b0i63]

As a person living in Australia, i can confirm this place is an absolute hellscape when it comes to animals

[@jappojappy]

But platypuses are so adorable! ... Oh, the males have venomous spurs they'll stab you with on their hind legs 😅

[@juanignaciolopeztellechea9401]

Not going there, even of you paid me a billion dollars

[@geraldtoaster8541]

I also live in australia and i have no idea why some people think this. I'll take our wildlife over bears and moose thank you

[@jappojappy]

@geraldtoaster8541 I agree with you actually. Australia's beautiful and her wildlife is incredible. I'd rather snakes and spiders that actively avoid human contact, than bears, big cats, elephants etc. No way I'd go into the water though. Salties scare the crap outta me.

[@BM2759]

Yeah but cmon the risk of getting bitten is quite low

[@ReveredMaster]

3:06 the animation is scarier than a real person suffering🗿

[@connorney545]

I was literally at that reptile park yesterday and just found out you uploaded this now, incredible

[@ryanforgo3500]

1:56 is that a grinnnnn while he is talking about how fast an adult died by the spider 😅😅 he is too proud of the spider 😂

[@Raivex967]

Their collection of spiders is almost as good as the one I have in the corner of my room (I live in Australia).

[@casbot71]

I just have a huntsman, great for cockroaches.

[@musman9853]

might i suggest burning your place down, i think that's the best way to keep you safe

[@treedai7787]

true

[@MySelfMyCeliumMyCell]

for real tho? they never creep out on you, just harmonically coexisting?

[@patriknovak6264]

@@MySelfMyCeliumMyCell they lay eggs in ears when person sleeps

[@SSmitar]

As always animation team putting in an absolutely phenomenal work in these vids. That animation about why this venom affects humans & how it spreads, just top notch.

[@ThomvanVliet]

Man that animation of the person twitching and dying was disturbing

[@anirudhs1618]

0:58 "Jake Meney- The Head of Reptiles & Spiders" got me laughing so hard for reasons unknown, my humour is broken for sure.🤣

[@gnarlow996]

Most dramatic death of a stick figure I’ve ever seen.

[@jiminboo]

6:01 Wow I love how aggressive and feisty it gets, just lounges at the pipette in attempt to pierce it with those fangs! Nature is truly terrifying at times but always fascinating.

[@Clarste]

Reminds me of a cat when you try to pet its belly.

[@jiminboo]

@@Clarste it’s adorable in a creepy terrifying way 😅

[@unlostm8]

2:57 this animation sequence gave me the worst anxiety ever

[@henriqueoliveira5270]

It is incredible to realize that the behavior of funnel-web spider (when it gets angry) is very similar with a brazilian spider called "armadeira".

[@almondigasconpatatas7491]

Great move making a vid about spiders and having it’s sponsor be betterhelp Derek! Genius marketing.

[@janofb]

In the mid 60's my father was a pharmacist. We used to hunt rattlesnakes, and he taught me how to milk their venom for sale to a pharmaceutical company to make anti-venom. I was a stupid kid back then. I don't think I could do that today.

[@robtk3]

Well, at least you were a stupid kid with adult supervision.

[@nadarith1044]

What do you mean by 'hunt' here? catch and release?

[@joaomrtins]

This is such an important work. Australia gets a lot of attention for it's dangerous fauna but here in Brazil it's not that safer, at least in the 21st century we have antivenom.

[@gamechip06]

I'm here on vacation right now, and I've already seen 3 different kinds of spiders on separate occasions and noped out of the vicinity each time.

[@talkshow69]

Australia gets a lot of hate and fear for it's dangerous fauna FTFY

[@soupcake3092]

South america really deserves more credit for its bugs.

[@tanostrelok2323]

The only real difference is the humidity levels and that there's no big cats in Australia

[@xBox360BENUTZER]

I would rather worry about crime then dangerous animals in Brazil

[@boo3046]

Hey Veritasium, I think it would be really interesting if you updated your bowling video or made a follow up. More so regarding what makes a bowling ball crack and break over time and when storing it for months while its not in use if rotating the ball time to time actually helps it to prevent cracking. Thanks for the videos, hoping for more! Regards from Sweden.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

❤❤❤

[@tphotos3485]

they also play dead. Saw one under a couch while helping a friend move house, they threw a container over it even though it was all curled up. after a while of everyone freaking out over it, they lifted the container and started checking it out with some tongs. poked it one too many times and BOOM this thing sprang open and ran straight outside. so terrifying, one of those heart-stopping shocks. But yes, call wires or something and they'll remove them safely snd use them for this kind of work.

[@user-hw8un1vj5z]

"Behind these black curtains are deadly spiders. Hundreds of them." So just your typical Australian curtains...

[@drcgaming4195]

"thats not grass behind that curtain"

[@xtrplpqtl]

The first still frame where you can hear "this is a funnel web spider" is actually not a funnel web spider. Funnel web spiders are in family Atracidae, which are mygalomorph spiders, closer to tarantulas than the one in the picture. You seem to have confused it with funnel weaver spiders, which are araneomorph spiders in the family Agelenidae.

[@Swordflash4]

See I thought they had made a mistake when they pointed to it! Funnel webs are velvet black. That one was grey and looked closer to a wolf spider.

[@elroyfudbucker6806]

Details, details.

[@Amused_Comfort_Inc]

​@@Swordflash4it was a hololena curta, and those chevron stripes and spotted legs are the biggest indicator 😊 I had one as a pet for a year, beautiful spiders

[@Shazzkid]

Actually it's not even a funnel weaver from Agelenidae, but one of the few web building wolf spiders, such as those in the genus Sosippus.

[@sergemerto256]

It's amazing that you guys can claim that because of you, in over 40 years not a single death has occured. I would be extremely proud of it🔥

[@tricore6408]

went to the reptile park and heared about this beginning of the year! kinda mind blowing to see this in action now

[@senthilkumaran1473]

Veritasium's videos made my life better actually... I love his works on all science fields... Really it means a lot to me

[@iv8923]

keep learning ❤

[@OwlishFun]

My coworkers in Canada always shudder at Aus wildlife, but its hard to explain how accepting you are of the danger when you grow up there. We had funnel webs in out backyard and pool, and once at a scout jamboree the site near us had to move because they were on a funnel web nest...and we all just rolled with it. Sometimes I remember playing spot light in the Aus bush, literally crawling through the underbrush and no one ever got bitten by anything.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

❤❤❤

[@Mrdestiny17]

Used to have a pet black widow. Spiders are awesome creatures. I'm still scared of them but I have a new respect for them after I kept it as a pet. Widows aren't really that dangerous unless you have heart/breathing issues or are like a baby or extremely old. They Neurotoxic venom so unlike brown recluses which necrotize the skin, it just paralyzes neurons but at a small scale. Not to mention widows are extremely docile and would rather pretend to not exist when bothered than biting like active hunters like the recluse. Shame they only live a couple years. Luckily I caught mine when she was young so she stuck around for a while

[@OllieBeeston]

Literally saw one the other day hiking in a very narrow track in Kangaroo Valley. We were a loooong way from help. Never been so scared 😂

[@MrOvergryph]

7:31 "Fortunately, due to this program, no one has died since 1981." ☝

[@elijahmitchell-hopmeier182]

I’m ecstatic to see that Veritasium is back at it again trying to answer the age old questions of how we milk spiders. Great work! I can’t wait to see what other things they find that can be milked

[@20motu08]

This is so weird, is has to be a bot 😅

[@baksatibi]

I just realized you can milk both the male and the female platypus (among a few other mammals).

[@nickhadfield3192]

Almonds are milked, but it's very difficult to extract the milk from such tiny nipples. This is why almond milk is more expensive.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

❤

[@sayyamzahid7312]

​@@20motu08🎉🎉🎉

[@ouo5634]

1:44 "We only milk the males because they are 6 times more toxic" lol

[@chrisdonovan8795]

So that's the origin of toxic masculinity?

[@Fantastic_Mr_Fox]

they took the meme "leaving toxic masculinity behind. I'm going fully lethal" to a whole new level

[@easternhills1329]

I heard the dude go: "We only milk the male..." and had to scroll down to find a comment about it XD

[@gregbors8364]

Those are the ones who use Twitter

[@SirFaceFone]

😳

[@isaacmarks31]

As an Aussie, I can confirm we check our boots before putting them on. It's not just the funnel webs you need to look out for, but also red backs and white tails.

[@goodthiefphoto]

Great to see you back in Australia!

[@hughesd22]

I didn't realize how scared I was of funnelweb spiders until today haha. Banger of a video Derek

[@davidchang-yen1256]

This process seems like an excellent candidate for replacement by B-cell fusion/immortalization. Then the antibodies can be produced in bioreactors in much higher quantities. Although the venom probably has a pile of variants so you’d have to combine a lot of antibodies from different cultures together to make up an effective antivenin cocktail. Still seems like it would be worth the effort.

[@juankruger2598]

Interesting to learn about the venom effects on us and that I only thought they used horses to produce anti-venom (but that was for snakes) I had no idea that rabbits are used as well. Veritas vos liberabit (how fitting to have that end in 'rabit')

[@thebestscienceclips]

Interesting stuff as usual!

[@adamweb]

5:03 Drown proof funnel-webs, new nightmare unlocked!

[@Tesserex]

0:30 that looks to me like a member of the grass spider family, which are also sometimes called funnel webs, because they indeed make funnel shaped webs, but they're araneomorphs, not mygalomorphs (tarantula types) like the Australian funnel webs. Someone must have just searched for a funnel web spider picture and got the wrong kind. I'm not 100% sure though because I can't see the fangs and can't tell if the prosoma is hairy or hairless (should be hairless in Australian funnel webs).

[@OG_BiggusDickus]

I was seen that photo and was like hold up, that's 100% not a sydney funnel web...

[@PedroFerreira-fh3dk]

It's a spider from the Lycosidae family, since it clearly has 3 rows of eyes (4 in the bottom row, two big ones in the middle, and two in the top row). Grass spiders have only two rows of 4 eyes. But yeah, definitely not a funnel web.

[@AlasdairThompson]

@@PedroFerreira-fh3dk I thought wolf spider or american funnel weaver. I'm certainly no expert though

[@amicaaranearum]

It’s definitely not a funnel-web spider (Atracidae) or other mygalomorph. I think it may be a funnel weaver (Agelenidae) - the similar common name is probably how it ended up being selected as a stock image.

[@pseudechis]

yep, it's a wolf spider, then followed by a different spider, and a black house spider, before they get to the funnelwebs proper

[@johnbeamon]

Very kind of you to put a therapy ad in after your 8-minute extended close-up of giant Australian spider drool.

[@Advcrazy]

And there I was catching them and taking them outside when I grew up in Sydney. Shoulda be taking them in to this program!

[@0ptixs]

I really feel that last little bit was way way over looked, no known person has died in 40 years from a funnel web spider. And this spider can kill you in days. I think that's just amazing, kudos to the people working on this project

[@snuscaboose1942]

Kill you in minutes or less than 2 hours, not days...

[@maybe4549]

It can kill you in hours. Prevention makes it all and the anti venom saves the few unlucky enough to face one.

[@casbot71]

"Better help, hello? Yes... _I'd like to talk about my arachnophobia"_

[@uCruz_]

I have a normal fear of spiders, but I can't be the only one that once I watch a video about spiders, It feels like every hair of my body becomes more sensitive, and I start to feel a lot of little nothing all around my body.

[@VikingTeddy]

Oh yes, I'm much more aware of little m8vements and sounds, the hairs on my scalp and neck keep rising and I have that icky feeling though it's been over 5 minutes. I fortunately live so far up north I don't have to worry about anything venomous. I'm pretty cool with insects, but spiders trigger a fear like no other.

[@uCruz_]

@@VikingTeddy I live in the very south of Brazil, don't have to worry about any spiders, actually never even seen one in person I think. I mean really big spiders.

[@mauricenestler6559]

I recommend exposure therapy e.g., watching KZbin channels like exotic lair. Eventually you'll begin to like large spiders.

[@Vexas345]

Adrenaline. It's a dangerous spiders, it's perfectly reasonable for your body to react that way.

[@Rico401Prov]

Same! I’ve been afraid of tarantulas since I was a kid and I remember about 5 years ago going to a huge aquarium in a mall one time and they had a glass that had this big ass Mexican tarantula sitting on a damn rock and that mofo looked like Godzilla 😱 I started sweating and panicking to the point where I got stuff and couldn’t walk. I had to turn my head and walk past really fast to not trigger anyone that I was stressing out lol

[@Draw2quit]

Imagine finishing work every day knowing that you've saved a life. Amazing.

[@olly1oo6]

I still remember fishing out a "poor" drowned funnel web spider from our backyard pool when I was a kid. You can imagine my surprise when it suddenly sprang to life and bared its fangs. Grandad had the last laugh when he squashed it with a shovel.

[@goldenfeather3687]

Thank god you didn’t have to learn it the really hard way

[@sayyamzahid7312]

❤

[@sayyamzahid7312]

​@@goldenfeather3687😂

[@DJvvAZZ]

Fascinating! I had no idea, until now, how anti venom is made from these 'cute' spiders. I'm glad I live in NZ.

[@davidkendal1361]

Pretty sure the use horses as a catalyst for snake anti-venom too.

[@gregbors8364]

Yeah but you guys have to deal with Saurons

[@Inv1ns1bl]

did you know you are more likely to be killed by a horse than a spider.

[@crackwitz]

Imagine if kiwis were venomous and used their beaks to jab you

[@tadcastertory1087]

Isn't there a growing colony of these spiders in NZ, which were accidentally introduced? I could be wrong.

[@AnilKumar-jd7ut]

Veritasium is only one channel that can get me off of reels !

[@DjuroSen]

As teenagers in the 80s we used to swim in a mate's pool in Inverell (country NSW) and there were always funnel-web spiders floating around the edges. I recall that we were aware but not overly concerned. I will say, checking your boots and shoes is a must.

[@afonsomachado31]

Lol I failed a question in my biology exam today that was about how venom acts in the neuron. If only this video was posted yesterday.

[@vaisakhkm783]

@watsonreturns8654 that's too much effort... i rather watch this 10 min video than reading 1 line...

[@justaddwata]

Customer of mine when I was a mechanic worked milking spiders at the Australian Reptile park (Near Gosford). Never did I drive her car without thinking about spiders crawling around (as if she would ever bring her work home with her).

[@jackbuff_I]

The thought of one hiding in the sun visor until it drops out on to your lap while doing 90mph is honestly terrifying.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

🎉😅

[@MrKangdon]

Derek, you should totally do a piece on Aussie Ark up in the Barrington Tops!

[@nikonsnapper4983]

Unsung hero’s. In the lab everyday without any recognition or fame, working to save lives. Big respect

[@GuitarSlayer136]

I had a single nightmare where I got bit by a spider and my bones rotted through my skin and the biggest take away was how it didn't scare me as much as cutting open my fretting hand and watching my tendons move like a star wars robot hand in real life. Ever since I've been far less scared of spiders of all sizes because the idea that I'll get bit by a Brown Recluse or Black Widow by accident just doesn't seem as bad anymore.

[@Geoplanetjane]

I got bit by a brown recluse. Nasty experience

[@Milkmans_Son]

There is a real life version of your nightmare spider venom called hydrogen fluoride. It's a calcium seeker that you probably won't notice as it goes through your skin on it's way to basically melt your bones. Did I say won't notice? I meant to say won't notice right away, probably a day or so later.

[@sayyamzahid7312]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@unknowndash]

Despite my fear of spiders i will finish watching this

[@unknowndash]

Nevermind.

[@GDKozmos]

​@@unknowndashlol

[@mahir5024]

Hi fellow arachnophobic

[@DrDeuteron]

well, it shows why your fear could be rational, and not a phobia.

[@Shazzkid]

At 0:30 you refer to a spider as a funnel web spider, it is infact actually of the few web building wolf spiders, such as those in the genus Sosippus. Many people here have tried to correct you and say its a funnel weaver in Agelenidae, but they too are wrong. Observe the eye arrangement to confirm, 2 large forward facing Posterior Median Eyes, and 2 medium sized Posterior Lateral Eyes, set further back on the head, with the remaining 4 Anterior eyes, smaller and of equal size, aligned in a straight row beneath the PMEs

[@social.2184]

Video was so good I didn't even noticed until it ended 😃

[@scientificon]

With such dangerous spiders comes great responsibility. Great video 👍

[@michaelscott6687]

The spider that you point to and ID MIGHT be some type of funnel web, but it is definitely not a Sydney funnel web spider.

[@Haldthin1]

It looks like a Barn funnel web.

[@athloner]

Was thinking the same thing, it happened a few times that he showed the wrong spider

[@BahFelix5k]

@Veritasium The believe the spider pictured at 0:30 is from the family Agelenidae. They are common where I live in North America. I actually enjoy having them around. They are sometimes called a funnel web spider, but a better common name to use is "funnel weaver spider" or "grass spider". They are not medically significant. I'm not the only one who noticed. Please correct this.

[@trapd00rspider]

I used to live in a house with a bunch of their nests at the bottom of the backyard but they never came up to the house to bother us. I never got rid of huntsmen spiders and house spiders on the windows because i hoped they'd help deter them. Definitely always checked my shoes.

[@Kamil_O]

that is amazing that they saved pop from death for 40 years. People that are working there are heroes

[@sayyamzahid7312]

😮🎉😮

[@ricotaline]

I hate seeing a spider in my house, but I love seing them in nature. Such an elegant animal

[@RJMBricks]

Wow, I’m literally in Australia right now, so glad to be able to sleep tonight now

[@SirSpinalColumn]

It’s important to note that Australia has absolutely no native primates, so the toxicity of the venom to primates is truely a mystery. It’s also worth mentioning that those super dangerous male spiders are the ones you’re most likely to encounter while they’re wandering around looking for a female during the warmer months.

[@ShipAndSeas]

From a mathematician and physician you've changed drastically

[@Asterism_Desmos]

He’s on his venom arc

[@bowxfire5275]

​@@Asterism_Desmosthat's probably why he's trying to learn about anti-venom. To end his venomous arc.

[@rocky_xd3359]

i am scared of spiders

[@soisaus564]

go to australia challenge

[@InsaneToggled]

Lol

[@MagickP00dle]

But they're so friendly they try to crawl into your mouth while you're sleeping.

[@rdtyphon6684]

Me too rocky_xd3359

[@theghostofadeadsperm6086]

But they’re so nice when they dangle down from the ceiling onto your face 🥺

[@snuscaboose1942]

Depends where you live in Sydney. In the Inner West redbacks are far more common and you have to check your shoes. Closer to the bush like say Hornsby (a suburb of Sydney) the funnelwebs are far more common. They're usually chill but the wandering males need to be terminated. But most funnelwebs can be left alone, they're a cool addition to a garden.

[@randomtourist6656]

Thank you for adding content to my nightmares

[@fungamingwithdhairya]

We need a sequel of your first computer video

[@nitzanshu4695]

Im afraid from spiders, but that was an incredibly interesting video!

[@powerhousepaperairplanesrogers]

Alot of people dont believe me. But I found a Sydney funnel web spider in Georgia. Now I dont know if they live here or it was a pet got loose. But that is the same spider I found here in Georgia years ago.

[@You_Ate_My_Soap]

Oh my god this tutorial is so helpful. Now I can extract as much spider venom as I can. This video finally gave me the inspiration to do it thank you so much

[@You_Ate_My_Soap]

Won what? A scam?