Venomous indicator
MEASURING the radioactivity of snake venom, scientists say, can fairly accurately determine overall con7 tamination in an area. This would be particularly useful in such places as the former Soviet Union, which is contaminated by different kinds of radioactive isotopes as a result of waste released from nuclear fuel plants, accidents at atomic power stations and nuclear explosions.
But worldwide recession is being blamed for a cutback in financing for research programmes to detect environmental pollution by analysing snake venom.