Spider venom causes boners that last for days

The Brazilian Wandering Spider, or Phoneutria, carries a toxin called PnTx2-6. While the bite causes intense pain, cold sweats, and heart palpitations, it frequently results in a condition called priapism.

This isn't a side effect of arousal. The toxin forces an influx of nitric oxide into the bloodstream, which increases blood flow to the extremities far beyond the body's normal capacity.

Untreated, this four-hour event can lead to permanent tissue damage, making the spider's victim incapable of ever having an erection again. It is a biological overload that the body was never meant to handle.

Researchers are currently synthesizing the venom to create a fast-acting erectile dysfunction medication. They hope to strip the 'pain and death' parts of the toxin while keeping the blood-flow benefits.

This spider doesn't build webs. It roams the forest floor at night and hides in dark, cramped spaces during the day-often inside bunches of bananas destined for grocery stores.

It is frequently cited as one of the world's most venomous spiders due to its highly potent neurotoxic venom and defensive posture. Instead of running, it raises its front legs in a defensive posture and sways from side to side to deter predators, displaying vibrant red hairs on its fangs.