There are many dangerous creatures in the natural world that use poison for self-defense or for hunting, such as poisonous snakes, spiders and scorpions. It is said that there are more than 200,000 species of poisonous animal on Earth, each with varying degrees of toxicity. Research is currently underway around the world to make these animal poisons useful to humans. For example, a major feature of biotoxins is that they target particular molecules. This "specificity" can produce different results on different targets. This feature is being applied in the development of drugs with minimal side effects and pesticides that only attack pests. Researchers explore the possibilities of a "treasure trove" of poisons.