What is ricin, exactly?

The slow-acting poison was found lacing letters sent to Sen. Roger Wicker and President Obama

The extremely deadly chemical risin was once used by Walter White in an episode of AMC's Breaking Bad.
(Image credit: Facebook/Breaking Bad)

On Tuesday afternoon, news broke that an envelope addressed to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) had tested positive for a deadly poison known as ricin. On Wednesday morning, the Secret Service revealed that a letter addressed to President Obama may have been laced with the same toxic substance. What is it, exactly? Here's what you should know:

What is ricin?

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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.