Most Costly Substance Outthere Costs a Staggering 26,000 Times More Than Human Blood
In the realm of pricey liquids, none come close to the astronomical cost of scorpion venom. Particularly the venom from the deathstalker scorpion, which can fetch a staggering price of around $10 million to $39 million per liter, equivalent to about $39 million per gallon.
The high price tag of this lethal liquid is a result of several factors. Firstly, the extraction process is incredibly labour-intensive and fraught with danger. Scorpions produce only minuscule amounts of venom, approximately 2 milligrams at a time, which must be carefully collected by hand using techniques like electrostimulation, all while ensuring the animal remains unharmed.
Moreover, handling deathstalker scorpions is risky, as they are among the deadliest species. The venom contains compounds that are invaluable for developing treatments in cancer, autoimmune diseases, and antibiotic-resistant infections, which significantly boosts its demand and value.
To add to the complexity, ethical harvesting methods are essential, making the process even more labour-intensive and costly. These methods ensure that the scorpions are not harmed during the extraction process.
On the other hand, liquids like crude oils, despite their rarity and challenging extraction, are far less costly compared to scorpion venom. Similarly, while titanium metal incurs high costs due to processing challenges, it is a solid metal, not a liquid.
Meanwhile, in the world of consumer goods, the high cost of printer ink continues to be a topic of concern. Printer ink can cost up to $12,000 per gallon, making it a significant expense for home and office users.
Interestingly, human blood, another vital resource in modern medicine, is voluntarily donated. Despite being a critical component in various medical treatments, the cost of human blood includes testing, processing, and safe storage, which can amount to approximately $1,500 per gallon.
This article was created in collaboration with AI technology and was fact-checked and edited by a website editor to ensure accuracy and clarity. The extreme rarity of extractable quantity, extraction difficulty, danger, and valuable biomedical applications make scorpion venom the costliest liquid known today.
Technology and science have found invaluable applications in the deathstalker scorpion's venom, as it holds potential for treating cancer, autoimmune diseases, and antibiotic-resistant infections, linking it to the realm of health and wellness. Despite this, the high cost of scorpion venom is not comparable to other expensive substances like crude oils or titanium, due to its unique extraction process that requires labor-intensive, ethical, and oftentimes dangerous methods. The pricing of human blood, another crucial resource in the medical field, is also noteworthy, given its tests, processing, and storage expenses that can reach up to $1,500 per gallon.
