Spitting cobras: the peculiar evolution of defensive venom in snakes

Cobras are a famously venomous snake that can be a double threat. They can deliver their venom through a painful bite, but some can also spit it - although it's not entirely clear why this ability evolved.

Venom has a complex evolutionary history and the reason some cobras evolved the ability to spit theirs is not entirely clear. Watch the video above to discover the secrets of spitting cobras and their toxic defences.

Watch more about the pursuit for a universal antivenom to snake bites:    • In pursuit of a universal antivenom f...  

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0:00 Introduction
0:43 How does snake venom affect you?
1:25 Why do some cobras spit venom?
2:01 What is a cobra and when did they evolve?
3:08 How are scientists researching the evolution of spitting in cobras
5:58 What the scientists have discovered so far
7:50 Convergent evolution in cobras
9:07 Did spitting evolve in cobras in response to the evolution of primates?