S2E4 Eight Legs, Endless Fear: Spiders and the Skin Crawling Truth

Spiders inspire some of our deepest fears—but are they actually as dangerous as we think? In this Outbreak After Dark episode, Heather, Sam, and Kate dig into the real science behind spiders, venom, and so-called “spider bites,” separating evidence from exaggeration. Along the way, they unpack persistent myths, medical misattribution, and why spiders loom so large in outbreak lore—despite rarely being the culprit. Creepy? Yes. Deadly? Usually not. Welcome to Outbreak After Dark. Editor's Note: While this episode leans into humor and fear, spiders play an important ecological role and are rarely a danger to humans.  See companion blog post at infectiousdose.com for full transcript and references.