Latest news with #BeckyleeRawls
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Video reveals TikToker was minutes away from death…but can you spot why?
With the summer holidays approaching, many will be looking forward to going abroad. But you should be careful when picking up shells on the beach, as it could leave you minutes from death. A video, shared by TikToker Beckylee Rawls, shows her walking along a beach in Okinawa in Japan when she picks up a pretty shell. She shows it to the camera before putting it back into the sea – and it was only later that she realised her mistake. In another video she holds up a similar shell, saying: 'Yep, that was me picking up a marbled cone snail – one of the deadliest creatures on Earth. Had no idea.' She explained: 'I was out tidepooling in Okinawa, Japan, and I came across this shell. 'As you can see, it's one of my favourite shells to collect because the pattern is so stunning. 'So I pick up the shell and that's when I noticed the shell's alive, and the black and white tube you see is the snail's siphon which it breathes out of. 'This is also the end of the snail that shoots a harpoon to sting and inject its victims with venom.' She said it was only after Googling the shell that she realised her mistake. 'I was playing with the most venomous creature in the ocean that can lead to full paralysis or fatality,' she said, She explained that the species is allegedly nicknamed the 'cigarette snail', because 'you have just enough time after it stings you to light a cigarette before you pass'. 'I hope my story spreads awareness that not all pretty shells are harmless,' she added. She also makes it clear in the comments section of the video - which has nearly racked up 30 million views – that the shells she has at home are ones that she found empty and washed up on the beach. There are around 700 species of cone snails, all of which are highly venomous. They can be found in the South China Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the waters around Australia. These delicate but deadly snails have a large variety of patterns on their shells, which can prompt people to pick them up. This map shows the location of the geographer cone snail, which is one of the most toxic species They possess a single hollow harpoon-shaped tooth that can extend to inject toxic venom into prey, designed to paralyse it. There is currently no antivenom for cone snail injuries since the composition of the venom can vary significantly between species. However, the proteins in cone snail venom are being investigated by scientists for their potential as painkillers. Reports suggest there have been three dozen deaths and more than one hundred injuries from cone snail stings since 1670. However, only six stings have been attributed to the marbled cone snail – and none have been verifiable fatalities. What are cone snails and how deadly are they? Cone snails are among the most venomous creatures on earth, with the most toxic being the 'textile' and 'geography' species. Venom from just one cone snail is enough to theoretically kill 700 people. All capture their prey by means of harpoon-like hollow teeth (radula) that are rapidly jabbed into their prey to inject the toxic venom. Attacks on humans usually occur when a cone snail is either stepped on in the ocean or picked up from the water or the beach. Ironically, among the compounds found in cone snail venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs. Research shows that certain of these proteins target specific human pain receptors and can be up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine without morphine 's addictive properties and side-effects.
Newsweek
22-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Woman Picks Up Shell—Only to Learn It's One of The Deadliest on Earth
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After spotting a beautiful shell, Beckylee Rawls didn't think twice about picking it up to get a closer look. What she never could have imagined was that she was actually holding one of the world's most venomous creatures, which can paralyze and kill its prey. Rawls, 29, was tide pooling in Okinawa, Japan, in early June when she noticed a shell with a gorgeous marble pattern in the water. As someone with a collection of shells at home, she couldn't resist picking it up and getting a closer look. Indeed, she even captured a video showing the marble cone snail in her bare hand, telling Newsweek that she "had no idea it could be dangerous." Rawls said: "When I first saw the shell, I was just focused on how beautiful it was. I've picked up so many shells while at the beach before without hesitancy. I didn't even realize it was alive at first." Beckylee Rawls, 29, showing the cone snail shells she's collected, and the one she found in Japan. Beckylee Rawls, 29, showing the cone snail shells she's collected, and the one she found in Japan. @beckyleeinoki / TikTok Once she realized it was still alive, she assumed it was "just a harmless snail" and placed it back in the water. Thankfully so, in the end. It was only when she got home and did a reverse image search of the shell that Rawls came to realize that this was no ordinary shell. She was stunned to discover that it was in fact a cone snail—one of the deadliest creatures in the world. Cone snails, part of the Conidae family, are a type of predatory gastropod mollusk that live inside spiral shells. They range in size, reaching up to around 11 inches in length, but their power lies within their toxic venom. They capture their prey by using a harpoon-like hollow tooth known as a radula, which is jabbed into prey to inject the venom which can paralyze and kill. While they typically hunt worms or other mollusks, humans can be stung by inadvertently picking cone snails up in their hands. Research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information suggests that the venom from one cone snail has the potential to kill up to 700 people. Indeed, most envenomation among humans occurs on the palms and fingers. Rawls had no idea what she was holding at the time, but after learning more about the danger of cone snails, she immediately felt "the fear set in." She continued: "I started thinking through everything I had done—holding and shaking it—and realizing how bad it could've been. I was so paranoid for days that I had been stung and just didn't realize it yet. "But I never felt anything, and eventually I accepted I was okay. The more I researched the cone snail, the scarier it got, especially when I found out there's no antivenom." Thankfully, Rawls wasn't stung, and she didn't experience any symptoms in the days that followed. Nonetheless, she was very shaken up by the terrifying close call. It seemed like such a harmless shell, but the reality was very different. Rawls shared footage of her encounter with the deadly snail which can cause "full paralysis in minutes" on TikTok (@beckyleeinoki). The video went viral with over 25.8 million views and more than 833,500 likes in a matter of days, as many people were desperate to know more. She's been overwhelmed by the response, as plenty of TikTok users thanked Rawls for sharing her story because they would have done the same as her without knowing. "It really showed me how little-known this danger is, which made me feel like sharing it was the right thing," Rawls told Newsweek. "I still love the ocean, and this won't scare me away, but I'm way more cautious now. I treat anything unfamiliar with respect and distance. I'm grateful for whatever reason the snail did not sting me and to have this second chance." Whenever she's exploring the coastline now, Rawls has a new rule that she will be sure to follow: if it's a cone, leave it alone. Social media users were left horrified by Rawls's near miss with the deadly cone snail, leading to more than 7,000 comments on her TikTok post. One comment reads: "so this is the day I stop picking up shells from the beach!" Another TikTok user wrote: "They need to teach this in schools because i also would have 100 percent picked that up." While another person added: "As a biologist, I learned to admire things from afar. Do not touch anything if it's new for you." Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@ We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Woman ‘holds death in her hand,' lives to tell about it
A woman in Japan unknowingly put her life at risk when she bent over and picked up a shell while exploring tide pools. Beckylee Rawls, 29, who lives with her husband in Okinawa, collects shells, and on this day she was videotaping the various creatures in the pools for a TikTok video when she came across a 'beautiful shell.' 'Honestly, the only thing going through my head was, 'That's a pretty shell, let me take a closer look,'' Rawls told People. She held it for about 30 seconds before noticing something inside: a live cone snail. Taken aback, Rawls replaced the shell in the water. She posted a few TikTok videos showing her misstep. As she was leaving, Rawls did an online search for that shell. 'That's when I learned I might have just made the biggest mistake of my life,' she told People. The cone snail is among the most venomous creatures on Earth. The shell isn't dangerous, it's what's inside the shell. Cone snail venom can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse. A sting can be fatal. Also on FTW Outdoors: 'Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor? FOX8 reported that Rawls 'went to the beach and held death in her hand.' Fortunately, she wasn't stung, but the thought that she might have been stung persisted and 'terrified' her. 'My brain kept convincing me that I had been stung and just didn't realize it,' she told People. 'By the fourth day of panic, my husband was sick of reassuring me I was indeed going to live. There is no anti-venom—that's the craziest part. It's a hope-and-pray situation.' It should be noted that humans have survived stings from cone snails, but prompt medical care is crucial. "It's even nicknamed the 'Cigarette Snail' because, according to urban legend, if it stings you, you won't live long enough to finish a final cigarette," Rawls told People. "That chilling reputation really put things into perspective." Photo courtesy of Beckylee Rawls.
