Meet the Man Who Lets Snakes BITE HIM to Develop Antivenom and Save Lives – Twitchy

There’s a long-running Internet meme that the reason women live longer than men is that men do some risky stuff. Like using a gator to open your beer can.

Or letting poisonous snakes bite you hundreds of times.

This is insanely hardcore pic.twitter.com/2uEUPKaDdd

— Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp) May 2, 2025

Here’s more from the New York Times:

Over nearly 18 years, the man, Tim Friede, 57, injected himself with more than 650 carefully calibrated, escalating doses of venom to build his immunity to 16 deadly snake species. He also allowed the snakes — mostly one at a time, but sometimes two, as in the video — to sink their sharp fangs into him about 200 times.

This bit of daredevilry (one name for it) may now help to solve a dire global health problem. More than 600 species of venomous snakes roam the earth, biting as many as 2.7 million people, killing about 120,000 people and maiming 400,000 others — numbers thought to be vast underestimates.

In Mr. Friede’s blood, scientists say they have identified antibodies that are capable of neutralizing the venom of multiple snake species, a step toward creating a universal antivenom, they reported on Friday in the journal Cell.

Incredible stuff.

pic.twitter.com/frw1YHKZkV

— Tyler Clancy (@Clancy4Utah) May 2, 2025

The perfect gif.

Hahahahahahahahaha.

really cool but im not really following the “crazed by sept 11th attacks he let two cobras bite him” line

— dax (@thdxr) May 2, 2025

Well …

We all had different ways of coping pic.twitter.com/j3Vu2VBcEX

— Paul Rossi (@pauldrossi) May 3, 2025

Recommended

We sure do.

An actual, literal bada**. Maybe the only man qualified to live in Australia.

— WeAreIceni (@NameIsSpartacus) May 3, 2025

Nothing on that continent will kill him.

“His wife was furious but he was angrier with himself. He vowed to become more methodical in his work” @zachpogrob

— Andrew (@andr3w) May 3, 2025

She has the patience of a saint.

Some people are extraordinary people. https://t.co/qZviIZ8FAC

— Daddy Warpig (@DaddyWarpig) May 3, 2025

They really are.

Humanity thanks him for his efforts but humanity also hopes that whatever recessive anti-survival gene that was dominant in him did not get passed on to his descendants. https://t.co/WAmFonGn9L

— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) May 3, 2025

His kids will be actuaries.

You can just do things. https://t.co/VMpCXopRHt

— Yishan (@yishan) May 2, 2025

You can.

>no degree, just experimenting on himself
>insane courage
>almost dies many times
>cures snakebite deaths worldwide

I love America 🇺🇸 https://t.co/3ge5BkRoNW

— Ethan Loosbrock (@ELoosbrock) May 2, 2025

Heck yeah.