This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
It seems Ebola and terrorism may have lost their scare factor. That is because journalists have once again turned to arachnophobia. “Brazilian Wandering spider found under a bunch of bananas in Waitrose home delivery,” said one newspaper recently.
Every few months, almost like clockwork, a media hype about these arachnids surfaces in the press. But we rarely find a balanced story about deadly spiders. Just how toxic are they, really?
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