Brazil is larger than the contiguous United States, and it is mostly tropical. It is not surprising that it is home to a host of venomous critters, mostly scorpions, spiders, and snakes. Each year many tens of thousands of Brazilians are stung or bitten and require treatment. Many of them and many thousands of victims in other countries as well, owe their lives to antivenin produced by the Butantan Institute in São Paulo. It’s home to hundreds of thousands of venomous creatures, all contributing to the protection of human lives.