3. Pufferfish
Like lionfish, the 120 pufferfish species are incredibly varied in their appearance. While a few of them definitely look like something that fell from space, there are some that can very much be described as beautiful, such as this sharpnose puffer. However, all pufferfish species are invariably poisonous to fish and humans alike. A single individual could kill 30 people although that doesnt stop expert sushi chefs from serving up small, edible segments to customers who have a lot of faith in their culinary skills. One interesting fact about the puffers venom (called tetrodotoxin) is that a very specific amount can cause a convincing deathlike state in humans, where their heartrate and breathing slow to an almost undetectable level. There are conflicting reports of this effect being utilised in traditional Haitian black magic, in order to create a kind of zombie. Essentially, the zombie state is induced in a target by discreet poisoning. A doctor declares the victim dead and they are buried soon after. The poisoner then exhumes the body under cover of darkness and administers another toxin from the angels trumpet flower. This damages the brains frontal lobe, which is responsible for high level cognition. Whats left is a shambling, mindless, suggestible, slave. While once accepted as credible, this theory has been questioned by modern science to a degree. However, whatever the case may be, the fact of the matter is that eating a pufferfish will definitely send you to an early grave. Whether you end up being dug up again is open to debate.
Peter Austin
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.
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