Ever heard of Mithridates? The 1st-century BC Roman Emperor, born in modern-day Turkey, lived in fear for his life after his father was assassinated. To protect himself, he decided to immunise himself against various poisons by regularly absorbing them in small doses. In case you’re tempted to follow his example, know that this technique – known as mithridatisation – actually means you’re just slowly poisoning yourself over a very long period of time.