Stranger danger

What is the deadliest animal on the planet? The answer will shock you!

Credit: GEORGE DESIPRIS

When we think of the most dangerous species of the animal kingdom, the first things that come to mind are snakes, sharks, and crocodiles. While these animals are sometimes lethal to humans, others are even more so. Read on to discover 12 of the world's most terrifying animals. Some of them will probably shock you!

Credit: Chris Stenger

Hippos can be as adorable as they are dangerous. They love water and spend up to two-thirds of their day submerged in rivers and swamps in central and southern sub-Saharan Africa. But behind that gentle, easy-going image lies one of the most aggressive species —even more so than lions and rhinos— killing up to 500 people a year.

With long tusks, strong jaws, and a weight that can reach 5,000 lb, they do not hesitate to confront any species when it comes to guarding their territory. Although they may seem somewhat lazy, they are fast, strong, and territorial. So be respectful and do not disturb their habitat!

Credit: Peter Bartel

There are many dangerous snakes in the world, but the one you should be more cautious about is the Taipan. The inland Taipan, a species endemic to Australia and New Guinea, has the most lethal toxins, and its bite can kill a person in just 45 minutes. Fortunately, there is an antidote to counteract its venom!

This species and others as dangerous as the Black Mamba and the Royal Cobra are responsible for the death of no less than 80,000 to 130,000 people per year globally.

Credit: Gerald Schömbs

There are more than 350 species of sharks, but only three are responsible for the highest percentage of attacks on humans: the great white shark, the tiger shark, and the bull shark. Although sharks are dangerous, they are not the most lethal animal for humans. In the last century, there has been an average of only 6 fatal attacks per year, with Australia having the highest number of incidents.

As a matter of fact, despite their reputation as vicious predators in movies, they are often the victims. Sharks are heavily hunted for their skin, fins, meat, and even their organs.

Credit: Andrey Tikhonovskiy

This predatory arachnid arthropod is another of the most dangerous animals for humans: it kills approximately 5,000 people per year worldwide. Scorpions can live in a variety of habitats, from deserts to urban areas, and it’s common to find them under rocks, in crevices, or in construction debris.

However, of the more than 1,000 venomous scorpion species, only about 25 can be deadly to humans. The most venomous scorpion is the thick-tailed scorpion, responsible for 90% of the deaths caused by scorpion attacks in Africa.

Credit: Gary Yost

In general, bees aren’t violent, but they should be treated with the utmost respect and care since they tend to act in self-defense. When they sting, they can cause anything from a minor injury to acute poisoning if the attack occurs on a person allergic to their venom.

The Apis mellifera scutellata (Africanized honey bee) are among the most fearsome because they act in swarms: although they attack only if provoked, their defense mechanism is so aggressive that they do not stop until they catch and sometimes kill their prey. In the United States alone, between 50 and 100 people die each year as victims of bee attacks.

Credit: Amar Yashlaha

Despite being carnivores and eating any animal they come across to satisfy their hunger, they kill far fewer people in the world than one might expect. In Tanzania, the birthplace of the African lion, about 22 humans die each year attacked by these animals and it is estimated that there are no more than 100 victims worldwide.

Not that lions are not to be feared: they attack in groups, are capable of running at a speed of 46.0 mph, and can digest 66 lb of meat in a single meal with their sharp teeth and particular claws. So, beware!

Credit: Mathieu CHIRICO

Although it’s not in their nature to attack their prey, jellyfish can be dangerous to humans. If you accidentally touch one while swimming, you will be stung and its tentacles will immediately release venom, in many cases even if the animal is dead.

Some species, such as the box jellyfish —found in Australia, the Philippines, and other tropical areas—, are the most lethal. They send out toxic stingers capable of stopping a person's heart in less than five minutes. Jellyfish stings affect hundreds of thousands of humans globally, and numbers indicate that up to 100 of those are fatal. Believe it or not, the smallest are the most poisonous!

Credit: Wyxina Tresse

Like most animals, spiders will attack only if they feel in danger. If they bite, many pose no threat to humans other than mild swelling or a rash. Others, however, carry deadly venom, such as the Brown Widow, the Red Widow, the Redback, and the Funnel-web spiders.

Fortunately, there are effective antidotes for almost all spider bites. Yet, at least 50 people die worldwide each year, 7 of them in the United States.

Credit: Jen Palmer

These ancient animals are the largest reptiles in the world —they can be up to 20 feet long and weigh over 2,200 lbs. Their powerful jaws and high-action speed make them terrifying to their prey, including humans.

The most dangerous are the saltwater species, abundant in swampy areas of Southeast Asia, northern Australia, and Africa. Saltwater crocodiles are responsible for at least 1,000 deaths annually, the highest number of victims for a large animal.

Credit: Yanuka Deneth

Did you know that there is a species of ant that releases a poison even more powerful than arsenic or cyanide? The bulldog ant, considered the most dangerous ant in the world, is solitary and aggressive. It lives in parts of Australia, and if it feels threatened, it can cling to its prey with its jaws and sting simultaneously, killing an adult in just 15 minutes.

Another ant to watch out for is the Siafu ant, also known as the army ant. Known for having larger mandibles than most insects of its size, it is found in West Africa and the Congo. This species of ant attacks in groups and can devour an animal a thousand times bigger than their size.

Credit: Devon Janse van Rensburg

Although it may sound strange, man's best friend is the third-deadliest animal to humans. While deaths from dog attacks are uncommon, a bite from these animals can transmit a lethal disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 59,000 people die each year worldwide from rabies —95% of them in Asia and Africa— a virus transmitted by the saliva of unvaccinated dogs.

Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

When you think of the most lethal animal to humans, what comes to mind? Perhaps a shark or any of the venomous creatures listed in this article, such as snakes and scorpions. Well, you’d be wrong. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the animal that threatens human life the most is none other than the mosquito.

Yes, this slender, long-legged little insect, whose buzzing sound is one of the most annoying sounds in the world, is the deadliest animal on the planet. Why? Because mosquitoes are vectors of many dangerous diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. According to the WHO, mosquito-borne diseases cause some 700,000 deaths a year.

Naming the expert

What would you call an expert in fruits? Let's see if you can guess!

Credit: Romain Vignes

We all know what a biologist or a historian studies —those are easy. But what about a pomologist or a speleologist? Some areas of expertise have names that sound nothing like what they actually mean. In this article, you'll see the name of a field first —then try to figure out what it really means before reading the answer. Some might be simple, but others will surprise you. Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s begin!

Credit: Marina Vitale

Simply looking at the word "oology" reminds one of something circular, doesn’t it? You can’t be blamed for thinking this is the study of eyes. It does remind one of the verb "ogle."

You might also have thought of oolong tea— perhaps oologists are connoisseurs of rare brews? Or maybe they are scientists studying oolite rocks?

A clue: Oologists probably roll their eyes a lot during Easter hunts.

Credit: Landon Martin

Did you guess it? Oology is a branch of ornithology —the study of birds— that focuses on eggs! A person who studies or collects eggs inspecting their size, color, and shape, and observing the nesting and breeding behavior of their parents, is an oologist.

The term comes from the Greek oion, meaning egg. So if you thought of oolite before, you weren’t too wrong: Oolite rocks are also called "egg stones" because of their composition, which are spherical grains cemented together. Both words share the common Greek root.

Credit: Leon Contreras

Surely, campanology isn’t the study of camping. Or could it be? It can remind one of the word "hippocampus," but that could refer to either the part of the brain or sea horses. Another likely guess: Maybe it is the title for people who study campaigns, like marketers or publicists?

A clue: Don’t you think the word has a familiar ring?

Credit: Matt Artz

Campanology is actually the study of bells —how they are made, rung, and tuned. The word comes from the Late Latin campana (bell), and the term has been in use since at least the 18th century.

Now you know: campanologists analyze the acoustics of bells, the techniques of change ringing (a complex system of bell sequences), and the history of bell towers worldwide.

Credit: Bob Coyne

Two options jump to mind right away: Hippos and hippies. The cultural movements of the 60s were important enough that some historians might have specialized in their study.

Hippos are important, too: The two remaining classes of hippos are classified as vulnerable and endangered. Surely, looking after their population requires experts. Is that something that hippologists do?

A clue: Hippos are a closer guess than hippies.

Credit: Helena Lopes

Horses! Alright, equestrian fanatics probably guessed this one easily. A hippologist is an expert in the veterinary and management of horses. They are responsible for answering all questions horses’ owners might have about anatomy, reproduction, health, dressage, driving, and more.

This word also derives from Greek, where hippos means "horse". That term is at the root of the scientific names for sea horses and hippos, too.

Credit: Mae Mu

Is this about pomodoro sauce? Many know that pasta al pomodoro is a dish prepared with fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Fewer people know that pomodoro is simply the Italian word for tomato.

In fact, pomodoro is the result of adding pomo (apple) + d’oro (of gold). No, pomology doesn’t study tomatoes, but that might give you a clue about what it actually does.

A clue: Do you know what pomme means in French?

Credit: Jo Sonn

Pomology is actually the study of multiple fruits —not just the "apple of gold" tomato (which, whether you like it or not, is a fruit, according to botanists).

A pomologist works in the branch of botany investigating fruits and their plants of origin, researching to enhance their cultivation and use. The name derives from the Latin pomum, which means "fruit."

Credit: Suzy Hazelwood

You are probably thinking that this word couldn’t have anything to do with "spelling," because it would be written with two Ls. And you’d be correct: The role of speleologists is very distant to that of linguists.

But it feels like you’ve read the word before, doesn’t it? Did it have something to do with the outdoors, or with outer space, maybe?

A clue: You would likely need a flashlight to be a speleologist.

Credit: Viviana Camacho

In reality, speleology is the scientific study of caves: Their formation, structure, and ecosystems. The word comes from the Greek spēlaion (cave).

Speleologists explore underground tunnels, study stalactites and stalagmites, and even analyze the creatures that live in caves. To be a good speleologist you’d need to know a bit about biology, chemistry, geology, and cartography, to name a few… And to not be claustrophobic!

Credit: Leo_65

You wouldn’t be the first person to think about myrrh when reading this word. Nor the first to think about mermaids.

A more down-to-earth guess would be to assume that this has something to do with memories, or the ability to form and retain them. But that is also incorrect.

A clue: Have you ever seen a formicarium?

Credit: Prabir Kashyap

The correct answer is ants! Myrmecology is the scientific study of ants because myrmex is the Greek word for the insect.

Myrmecologists study their complex colonies and examine how these tiny creatures communicate and cooperate. A formicarium, which we mentioned, is another name for an "ant farm," often built to observe ant behaviors like engineering and teamwork.

How many areas of expertise did you guess correctly? If none, we hope you learned a few new words!