[Lee Stewart]

Blue-ringed octopus: Many octopuses squirt ink to deter potential threats but this cute-looking marine creature, which is roughly the size of a pencil, emits something a little less edible: poison. Enough of it to kill around 26 people within a matter of minutes, in fact. Named because of the blue rings that brighten and intensify across its body when threatened, this diminutive octopus is native to the Pacific Ocean and lurks in crevices in reefs and tide pools. Deaths are rare, with none reported since the 1960s, although this is definitely a case of look but don’t touch.