On this episode of The Poisoncast learn what makes the Death Cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) arguably the deadliest of mushrooms.  Travel inside the liver with us to see how the diabolical toxin takes you down.

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My Death Cap mushroom poem.  I made sure that it rhymes because we all know that the highest form of poetry is rhyming poety ;)

There is a fungus among us

That feeds on oak tree detritus

Its poisons taste delicious

But cause toxic hepatitis

Don’t be Caesar to this Brutus

Instead, try eating humus

Ignore this fungal phallus

There is a fungus among us

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A picture I took of a local Milk Thistle, which is used in the drug Silibinin to treat Death Cap mushroom poisoning.

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A mongoose has small mutations in its DNA that make it impervious to the black mamba venom.  The Death Cap mushroom is similar in its ability to not get poisoned by its own toxins.

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Click here to be taken to Cat Adam's great article on the Death Cap mushroom. @scienceismetal

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