Submitter comment: I'd like to submit this '[s]tudy of defensive behavior of a venomous snake as a new approach to understand snakebite' not for it's topic (worth studying!) but for it's insane methodology, which... well, I'll just let the researcher speak for himself:
[Q: Why did you decide to do this experiment?
A: Snake behavior has been generally neglected as a field of research, especially in Brazil. And most studies don’t examine what factors make them want to bite. If you study malaria, you can research the parasite that causes the disease—but if you don’t study the mosquito that carries it, you will never solve the problem. Up until now, the popular wisdom was that the jararaca would only attack if you touched it or stepped on it. But that was not what we found.
Q: Why did you need to be the victim?
A: The best way to do this research is to put snakes and a human together. In this case, the human was me. We put the snakes inside a ring on the floor of our lab until they got used to it, then I stepped in wearing special protective boots. I stepped close to the snake and also lightly on top of it. I didn’t put my whole weight on my foot, so I did not hurt the snakes. I tested 116 animals and stepped 30 times on every animal, totaling 40,480 steps.]
From the recent (aptly named) interview: Researcher steps on deadly vipers 40,000 times to better predict snakebites
[ Image One: A screenshot of text that reads "Q: Did you feel safe?"
A: That is a good question! I chose the protective boot based on the opinion of experienced colleagues at Butantan. They were leather boots covered in foam that went 3 centimeters above my knees. I felt 100% safe, and the jararaca bites never punctured them. However, when I was doing simulations with a rattlesnake, one punctured the boot, and I was bitten.
Thankfully, I was in the best place I could be. The Butantan Institute is a leader in antivenom development, and I was very well-assisted at its hospital. Unfortunately, I discovered that I am allergic to both antivenom and snake toxins. I had to take a 15-day medical leave.
Q: Did you reconsider working with snakes after that?
A: No, this is my passion. I love working"
Image Two: A screenshot of text that reads "Q: Any regrets?
A: When I was bitten by the rattlesnake during the simulation, I recorded it with a camera. And what was the first thing I did? I called my mother right there. Now I have this embarrassing moment on video: me crying to my mother." / End ID ]
