Mercury is a highly toxic chemical element, and although it is dangerous in its elemental form, it becomes especially harmful when it is converted into methylmercury. This compound, accumulating in marine organisms, can enter the food chain and cause severe health effects, particularly impacting the neurological development of fetuses and children. The severity lies in […]
Poisons
Posted inScience
The Covers of Some 19th-Century Books Contain Toxic Elements
The seemingly harmless covers of 19th-century books might harbor a potentially lethal secret—the presence of toxic elements that have remained hidden for decades, lurking on the shelves of libraries and private collections worldwide. The discovery began in 2022 when a librarian at the Winterthur Library in Delaware (United States) decided to conduct chemical tests on […]
Posted inAncient Rome
Locusta, the Slave who Prepared the Poison that Killed Claudius and his Son Britannicus
Claudio didn’t want to tolerate Agrippinila’s behavior, so he prepared to end her power by having his son put on the toga virilis and declaring him heir to the throne. Upon learning this, Agrippinila was alarmed and hurried to remedy the situation by poisoning Claudio. However, due to the large amount of wine he drank […]
