Khaberni - The world talks about precious metals and gemstones as the most valuable possessions one can acquire, but the truth reveals that some of the most expensive substances on the face of the Earth are not solid, but liquid, where the prices of these liquids range from hundreds of dollars to millions of dollars per gallon, forming the backbone of vital industries extending from medicine to technology and luxury.
Some wonder about the reason for the high prices of these liquids, and the answer lies in their extreme rarity, the difficulty of extraction, and their critical role in advanced sciences, as researchers take weeks to collect a few drops of scorpion venom, while a single dose of the drug Zolgensma requires an investment exceeding 2.1 million dollars.
These liquids are priceless as they save human lives, drive scientific research, and feed industries most people are unaware of, according to a report by the site "Slviki".
Genetic treatments and lethal toxins reign supreme
The drug "Zolgensma" (Zolgensma) tops the list as the most expensive medical liquid, with the cost of a single dose (5.5 ml) being about 2.1 million dollars, as it is a revolutionary gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy.
In second place is "racehorse semen" which costs up to 49 million dollars per gallon, due to its connection with champion breeds in the world of equestrian.
The third place goes to "scorpion venom" which is estimated at 39 million dollars per gallon, this astronomical price is due to the extreme difficulty in extracting it, as filling one gallon requires "milking" more than two million scorpions, and its value lies in the proteins used in cancer treatment research.
Blue blood and snake venoms for medical purposes
"Horseshoe crab blood" emerges as one of the most expensive biological fluids priced at 60 thousand dollars per gallon, distinguished by its blue color and its unique ability to detect bacterial toxins in vaccines.
Similarly, the price of "Thai king cobra venom" is 153 thousand dollars per gallon, as it is used in the production of pain relievers and antivenoms.
Everyday materials with unexpected prices
The list includes liquids that may seem ordinary but calculating their cost per gallon reveals staggering figures:
Insulin: the price per gallon is 9,400 dollars due to the complexity of biomanufacturing processes.
Mercury: the only liquid metal, its price per gallon reaches 3,400 dollars for its uses in precise scientific devices.
Liquid fortunes hidden in corners of homes
A survey of the list reveals that an ordinary consumer may possess liquids whose values exceed hundreds of dollars without a real realization of the size of the investment sitting on their desk or in their makeup bag, where "black printer ink" leads these materials, internationally categorized as one of the most expensive liquids per gallon (2,700 dollars), surpassing many strategic goods, and followed by "Liquid Paper" which is valued at 200 dollars per gallon, a figure that places this simple office product among luxury goods.
It does not stop at office supplies, but extends to "beauty shelves" inside homes; where nail polish records a price of up to 900 dollars per gallon, while classic perfumes like "Chanel No. 5" reign supreme at a price of 26,000 dollars per gallon.
While globally, the price of patchouli oil ranges between 40 and 120 dollars per kilogram depending on the quality and country of origin, with prices rising in pure types used in luxury perfumes due to the fragrance's stability and production rarity.
Technology and medicine raise the price ceiling
Experts attribute these exorbitant costs to the rarity of materials and the difficulty of extraction; a substance like "Scintillation Cocktail" used in nuclear physics is priced at 210 dollars per gallon, while penicillin's price reaches 300 dollars.
These liquids continue to form the backbone of advanced industries, where the price is not measured by quantity, but by the ability to save lives or advance science towards new horizons.
