When people think about the deadliest animals on Earth, their minds usually jump to large predators—lions, sharks, crocodiles, or bears. Yet in reality, some of the most lethal creatures on the planet are small, quiet, and easy to overlook. They don’t rely on strength, speed, or sharp teeth. Instead, they use chemistry. In the natural world, poison and venom are among the most efficient killing tools ever evolved, capable of shutting down the human body in minutes—or sometimes seconds.
