Lecture “Poisons in the History of Humanity”

As part of the Lyceum Wednesdays project, a popular science lecture titled  “Poisons in the History of Humanity”  was delivered by Anna Alexandrovna Shestakova, alumna and lecturer at the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, HSE University

© HSE

Students of the HSE University Distributed Lyceum learned about biological poisons that humans have used since ancient times and the mechanisms through which these toxins act. The lecture explored the chemical nature of legendary poisons, common myths, and the ways in which “poison-producing” organisms protect themselves from their own lethal substances.

Particular attention was paid to how the scientific understanding of poisons evolved over time and how this knowledge laid the foundations of modern toxicology.

The event concluded with an engaging discussion: the audience asked questions about famous historical poisonings and current biological risks. We thank Anna Alexandrovna for her fascinating lecture!