How snakes move, why we have so few of them in the UK, and how venom works.

By Alice Lipscombe-Southwell

Published: Friday, 03 March 2023 at 12:00 am


Instant Genius is a bite-sized masterclass in podcast form. And in this episode we’re slithering into the world of snakes.

Whether you love them or are frightened of them, you cannot deny that snakes are fascinating, adaptable creatures. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, and occupy all sorts of habitats, from deserts, to swamps, to forests, oceans and trees.

In this episode, herpetologist Prof Mark O’Shea, reveals how snakes move, why we have so few species in the UK, and how venom works.