Submit your questions for snake handler Thea Litschka-Koen, featured in Black Mamba. During the week of November 9, Thea will answer your questions here.

Take a look at the reptiles that humans may fear most: Snakes. Look into their secret and very strange world to try to understand them better.

Scientists use venom to develop antivenoms, and the toxic compounds may also yield new drugs to treat everything from crippling strokes to deadly heart attacks.

View additional resources, online and in print, for NATURE's "The Venom Cure."

Venomous creatures have long struck terror in people. The unfortunate result of this fear is that some people routinely kill any snakes they encounter.

There are not many people in the world who know more about snakes and snake venom than Bill Haast does. Haast has spent more than 50 years working with snakes.

Snakes are not the only creatures that use venom. Scorpions, shrews, spiders, insects, salamanders, and even some types of plants also use poisonous venoms.