The glossy Indian black scorpion, or Heterometrus bengalensis, has inhabited the Earth for around 450 million years, and lives mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, including India, North Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Delivered through a needle-like stinger at the tip of its long, flexible tail, scorpion venom can have severe side effects such as respiratory stress, cardiac dysfunction and multiple organ failure. Studying the effects of scorpion venom on Swiss albino mice, the researchers found that the chemicals led to systemic toxicity, increased liver enzymes, organ damage, and inflammation. The findings, said Mukherjee, show the complexity of the black scorpion venom and highlight the urgency of improving therapeutic strategies, including the development of targeted, species-specific antivenom. According to Mukherjee, scorpion venom is also being studied in other laboratories for its potential use in medicines.