Here on Mauna Loa, air is collected on a 40 meter (130 foot) tower (left) and analyzed for CO2 content. At right, a powerful laser beam is used to measure aerosols and particles in the air up to 45 km into the stratosphere.
Similar to the global trend, warmer Southern States have more venomous species than North States. Arizona is the clear winner (or loser) with over 30 species.
The most venomous snake, measured by the LD50 test or any type of criteria, is the inland taipan snake of Australia. Image: Inland taipan snake by Wikipedia contributor. The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) possesses the most toxic venom of any snake in the world. But here again, that does not necessarily mean that the inland taipan -- also known as the fiece snake -- is the most dangerous or deadliest snake in the world.