The platypus isn’t just strange, it’s one of the most scientifically baffling animals on Earth. With the bill of a duck, the tail of a beaver, the feet of an otter, and the ability to lay eggs ...

2. Platypuses Are Venomous Mammals . Very few mammals are venomous. It's weird enough that the male platypus delivers venom, but that he does it through ankle spurs makes it even more curious.

On their hind legs, male platypuses have sharp spurs that release venom. This venom is not deadly to humans, but it causes extreme pain and swelling. In some cases, the pain can last for weeks or ...

Platypus venom is entirely different from other venomous creatures. While more research is needed, scientists believe it contains specific proteins that target the nervous system. Heptapeptide 1 ...

Strangely, the platypus gene for GLP-1 is active not only in the gut but also the venom, which scientists already know is a complex substance. “That’s really exciting because we think this dual ...

While platypus are regularly attacked by feral predators, ... You could imagine if it was a male with venom spurs it would have put up quite a fight,” he said.

If threatened, platypuses will stab an attacker with the spurs, releasing poison strong enough to kill a dog. In humans, the venom is not lethal but it can cause executing pain.

You might know the platypus as Australia's iconic shy, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed, egg-laying mammal. Unfortunately, the odd animal is also struggling to survive. This is why ...

Male platypuses even produce venom, delivered via spurs on the rear feet. The platypus’ Frankensteinian combination of parts was so surprising to 18th century European biologists that many ...

A 1992 case report tells the story of a 57-year-old man in Australia who was struck by platypus venom while fishing in North Queensland, causing “immediate, sustained, and devastating” pain ...

These are the world's most poisonous animals! Lots of species of animals are dangerous, but the most deadly may not be the big natural predators but those that can kill humans and other animals ...