Scorpions have long been known for the menacing curve of their venomous tails, which can deliver notoriously painful stings to potential predators and prey alike. But it’s only been recently, with the advent of molecular analysis and rapid genetic sequencing, that scientists have been able to start decoding the complex chemical cocktails of the arachnids’ venom. Researchers can now identify not only the wide range of neurotoxins and enzymes that scorpion venoms contain, but also how these compounds are made, and how they affect their victims. This knowledge offers tremendous potential for the development of new drug therapies, and perhaps more urgently, for the development of new treatments for victims of scorpion stings.