Reptiles and amphibians are worth protecting simply because they are living things and part of the world we share. But suppose you are talking to someone who does not care about that. Here is an argument that works on almost everyone: herps have saved millions of human lives, and they are still doing it. Many of the biggest medical discoveries of the last hundred years came from studying reptiles and amphibians, especially snake venom. Venom is a mix of powerful chemicals, each one designed by evolution to do one very specific thing inside another animal's body. Scientists have learned to borrow those chemicals, change them a little, and turn them into medicine. Here are a few examples.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
