Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pufferfish
The puffer fish, also called blowfish, swellfish, globefish, balloonfish, bubblefish are fish making up the family Tetraodontidae, within the order Tetraodontiformes. They are named for their ability to inflate themselves to several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened; the same adaptation is found in the closely related porcupinefish, which have large conspicuous spines (unlike the small, almost sandpaper-like spines of puffer fish). The scientific name, Tetraodon, refers to the fact that they have four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the shells of crustaceans and mollusks, their natural prey. The eyes and internal organs of most puffer fish are highly toxic, but nevertheless the meat is considered a delicacy in Japan and Korea. Tetrodotoxin, a chemical present in the pufferfish, is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause death in nearly 60% of the humans that ingest it. A human only has to ingest a few milligrams for a fatal reaction to the toxin to occur.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
May 13, 2026
May 13, 2026 UC Davis researchers created brand-new psychedelic-like compounds by shining UV light on amino acid-based molecules. These compounds activated key serotonin receptors tied to brain plasticity and mental health benefits, but surprisingly did not ...
May 13, 2026 A huge long-term study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked to a much lower risk of dementia, especially before age 75. Researchers say caffeine may help keep brain cells active while reducing inflammation and harmful ...
May 13, 2026 Researchers have uncovered unexpectedly high levels of silicone-based pollutants called methylsiloxanes floating through the atmosphere across cities, rural regions, and even forests. Much of the pollution appears to come from vehicle emissions, ...
May 13, 2026 The little pauses, “ums,” and moments when you struggle to find the right word may reveal far more about your brain than anyone realized. Researchers discovered that everyday speech patterns are closely tied to executive function — the mental ...
May 12, 2026 Scientists at UBC Okanagan have uncovered how plants produce mitraphylline, a rare natural compound with promising anti cancer potential. The team identified two enzymes that work together to build the molecule’s unusual twisted structure, solving ...
May 12, 2026 Scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, have uncovered a crucial trick used by enteroviruses—the group behind diseases like polio, myocarditis, encephalitis, and even the common cold—to reproduce inside human cells. The team ...
May 12, 2026 Researchers found a new way to kill harmful “zombie” cells that linger after chemotherapy and help cancers become more aggressive. These senescent cells survive by relying on a protective protein called GPX4, even while sitting on the edge of a ...
May 12, 2026 As blood stem cells age, their lysosomes become overactive and damaged, triggering inflammation and weakening the body’s ability to regenerate healthy blood and immune cells. By calming this ...
May 12, 2026 A four-week diet change was enough to make some older adults appear biologically younger in a new University of Sydney study. Participants who reduced fat intake or shifted toward more plant-based ...
May 12, 2026 Scientists at McGill University have uncovered a hidden molecular “switch” that turns on a powerful calorie-burning system in brown fat — the body’s heat-generating fat linked to metabolism and weight control. The breakthrough centers on ...
May 11, 2026 Staying strong may be one of the biggest secrets to living longer — especially for older women. A major study of more than 5,000 women found that simple signs of muscle strength, like a firm hand grip or the ability to quickly stand up from a ...
May 11, 2026 An ancient Chinese exercise routine may be just as powerful as a daily brisk walk for lowering blood pressure — without equipment, gyms, or intense workouts. In a major clinical trial, adults with stage 1 hypertension who practiced baduanjin, a ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
May 11, 2026 Researchers say fructose is not just “empty calories” — it may actively push the body toward fat storage and metabolic disease. A new review ...
May 11, 2026 A new international analysis suggests there may be a surprisingly simple secret to keeping weight off after dieting: walking about 8,500 steps a day. Researchers found that people who boosted their ...
May 11, 2026 A major new analysis suggests semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) works remarkably well in adults over 65, helping many lose substantial amounts of weight while improving heart and metabolic health. ...
May 10, 2026 Ultra-processed foods may be doing far more damage than many people realize. A major new European cardiology report warns that people who eat the ...
May 10, 2026 Scientists at the University of Rochester pulled off a remarkable experiment: they transferred a longevity-related gene from the famously long-lived naked mole rat into mice, and the mice ended up ...
May 10, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a hidden “stop-scratching” signal in the nervous system that tells your brain when enough scratching is enough. The discovery centers on a molecule called TRPV4, which ...
May 9, 2026 Rebooting the gut microbiome with bacteria from youth may help stop aging-related liver damage and even prevent liver cancer, according to new research in mice. Older mice that received their own ...
May 9, 2026 Researchers have developed a stem cell-based model of the human intestine that may transform how new IBD treatments are discovered. After testing thousands of compounds, they identified glycyrrhizin ...
May 9, 2026 A new study shows that listening to your own favorite workout music can dramatically boost endurance. Cyclists exercising with self-selected songs lasted nearly 20% longer than when riding in ...
May 9, 2026 Scientists studying axolotls, zebrafish, and mice have uncovered a shared set of genes that may one day help humans regrow lost limbs. By identifying ...