We tend to think that the poison is an element of Shakespearean drama, torn from the pages of the novels of Agatha Christie. But the truth is that death is all around us, in neat bottles under the kitchen sink, in our drinking water and our blood. The following are the ten most insidious poisons in the world, some of which are exotic, others - common.
hydrogen cyanide
Despite the terrible glory, cyanide has a rich and fruitful history. Some scientists even believe that he may have been one of the chemicals responsible for life on earth. Today he is better known as the agent of death, the active ingredient in Zyklon B, which the Nazis used to exterminate Jews in gas chambers. Cyanide is a chemical used as capital punishment in the gas chambers of the United States. Those who come into contact with it, they say that it smells sweet almonds. Cyanide kills by binding to the iron in our blood cells, taking away their ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. In most U.S. states have banned the use of the gas chamber, as too inhumane measure. Death may take a few minutes and often terribly watch the prisoner struggling in an attempt to prevent death.
hydrofluoric acid
A solution of hydrogen fluoride in water and hydrofluoric acid, are used in several industries such as steel manufacture and even in Teflon. There are acids, which are much more powerful than the hydrofluoric, but few of them are dangerous to humans. In gaseous form, it can easily burn eyes and lungs, but in liquid form it is particularly insidious. When exposed to human flesh, she did not initially brings pain. The fact that it does not hurt means that people may be at serious risk without even realizing it. It penetrates through the skin into the bloodstream where reacts with the calcium in the body. In the worst case, can seep through the fabric and ruin the major bones.
batrachotoxin
Fortunately for most of us, the chances of coming into contact with Batrachotoxin extremely small. One of the most potent neurotoxins in the world, it is the skin of tiny poisonous dart frogs. Frogs do not in themselves produce a poison, it is created from the food they eat, most likely, the form of tiny beetles. There are several different versions depending on the species, but the most dangerous is the golden poison frog from Colombia. This little creature is small enough to fit on the tip of a finger, but one frog Batrachotoxin enough to kill about two dozen people, or a pair of elephants. The toxin acts by hitting nerves, opening the sodium channels and causing paralysis, in fact, cutting off communication ability of the whole body with itself. There is no known antidote and death occurs very quickly.
VX nerve gas
Prohibited Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 (world stocks are being phased out), VX is the most potent paralyzing gas in the world. He was found by chance in 1952 in chemical testing of organophosphates, and was soon discovered, and its dangers. Originally it went on sale as a pesticide called Amiton, but was withdrawn from sale because it was too dangerous to society. He soon attracted the attention of governments around the world, and, as it was during the Cold War, have been stockpiled for potential use in the war. Fortunately, the draw hand did not tremble, and VX was never used in combat. Cultist of the Japanese group Aum Shinrikyo managed to create some volume of this gas and use it to kill a man, but it is the only known human death from VX. The substance works by stopping the production of the enzyme in the nerves, resulting in constant activity there is a "storm" in the nervous system, which quickly overwhelms the body.
agent Orange
Made Dow Chemical and Monsanto (which is a short list of corporations "evil" in the world), and almost everyone has heard of the defoliant Agent Orange. Was used during the Vietnam War to destroy the trees that covered the enemy soldiers and destroy crops in rural areas. Unfortunately, besides killing plants herbicide contains a chemical called dioxin TCDD, a known carcinogen, which causes a significant increase in the incidence of cancer, especially lymphoma. In addition, tens of thousands of Vietnamese children were stillborn with birth defects, including cleft palate, extra fingers and toes, and mental retardation. Vietnam remains a very polluted and the present day.
ricin
Produced from castor beans, ricin is one of the most deadly poisons. Dose size of a few small grains of salt is enough to kill an adult. It acts by stopping the body's production of proteins that are necessary for survival, and throws the victim into shock. Because of its ease of production, ricin was used as a weapon by many governments in the world and has been used at least once for murder when the Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was shot pellet of ricin on the streets of London in 1978. It is believed that the responsibility for this murder is a Bulgarian secret police and / or the KGB.
arsenic
Metalloid arsenic has been used for centuries for all industries, from forging weapons to make up during the Victorian era (when the ladies appreciated unhealthy pallor). In the Dark Ages, it was the duty poison killers in the world due to the fact that the symptoms of arsenic poisoning resemble cholera, held at that time the disease. It acts by affecting the enzyme ATP in human cells, stopping the transfer of energy. Arsenic - nasty stuff, and in strong concentrations, it causes gastrointestinal disorders, convulsions, coma and death. In small amounts continuously consumed (eg, contaminated groundwater), it provokes a lot of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
lead
Lead is one of the first metals used by mankind for the first time it was melted over 8,000 years ago. And until the last few decades, we really had no idea how dangerous it is. Lead attacks every organ in the human body, and thus poisoning seen a huge number of symptoms ranging from diarrhea to mental retardation. Children are particularly susceptible: venom causes permanent neurological damage during fetal development. Ironically, many criminologists believe that the decline in violent crime occurred, at least in part, by increasing regulation of lead. Children born in the 1980s and later were significantly less exposed to lead, and as a result may be less prone to violence.
brodifacoum
Immediately after World War II poison brodifacoum used to protect against rodents (and, oddly enough, as a means of altering the blood in people with clotting disorders). But the rats born to survive, so over time, many have developed resistance to brodifacoum. Brodifacoum - a very dangerous anticoagulant that works by reducing the amount of vitamin K in the blood. Because vitamin K is essential in blood clotting, ultimately the body develops massive internal bleeding, blood seeping out of the smallest vessels. Brodifacoum, which is sold under various brand names, such as Havoc, Talon, and Jaguar, should be used with caution, as it can easily penetrate the skin and remains in the body for several months.
strychnine
Mostly derived from the seeds of the tree Strychnos nux-vomica in India and South-East Asia, strychnine alkaloid, is a substance used as a pesticide, particularly for rodents. Death caused by strychnine is painful, as a neurotoxin affects the nerves of the spine, causing the body is distorted and there is a spasm when your muscles are compressed against their will. Oscar was averted, the commander of the Nazi SS during the Second World War, introduced its prisoners, and looked at their convulsions for his perverted entertainment. Strychnine is one of the few substances in this list, which is quite cheap and is commercially available: perhaps it is sold at the local store.