Spinning gold from snails

  • 03/12/1997

A century and a half after Australia's first gold rush, a new breed of prospector is fanning out across the continent-this time looking for breakthrough drugs derived from a unique natural heritage of plants and animals. Australia has one of the world's most diverse collections of wildlife. Scientists believe this vast and still largely unstudied melting pot may hold medicinal treatments for a host of ailments, from headaches to cancer.