A scorpion's sting may be deadly but scientists may are now discovering that the poison may be lifesaving. Researchers are using a man-made version of the venom of the yellow Israeli scorpions to treat gliomas, aggresive brain tumours that are hard to fully remove by surgery alone.

Worldwide, 176,000 cases were diagnosed in 2000 and only one in three survive. A protein in the venom selectively blinds itself to cancerous cells while bypassing surrounding healthy cells. Combined with radioactive iodine and injected to the body, the venom targets and destroys the offending cells. Early results show that the treatment is safe and extends life in some patients, so a larger study is now underway.