![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/GHS-pictogram-skull.svg/640px-GHS-pictogram-skull.svg.png&w=640&q=50)
Poison
Substance that causes death, injury or harm to organs / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Toxic substances?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broad sense.
This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (January 2022) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/GHS-pictogram-skull.svg/640px-GHS-pictogram-skull.svg.png)
Whether something is considered a poison or not may depend on the amount, the circumstances, and what living things are present. Poisoning could be accidental or deliberate, and if the cause can be identified there may be ways to neutralise the effects or minimise the symptoms.
In biology, a poison is a chemical substance causing death, injury or harm to organisms or their parts. In medicine, poisons are a kind of toxin that are delivered passively, not actively. In industry the term may be negative, something to be removed to make a thing safe, or positive, an agent to limit unwanted pests. In ecological terms, poisons introduced into the environment can later cause unwanted effects elsewhere, or in other parts of the food chain.