Many plants produce chemicals to protect themselves from being eaten. But how do they protect themselves from these chemicals? To understand this, researchers studied a chemical (diterpene glycosides) produced by wild tobacco plants. They found that these substances were stored in a non-toxic form inside the plant and when the insect feeds on it, the non-toxic molecule cleaves off and the chemical turns toxic. Garnet sand beach on Goodenough Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. (Photo credit: Professor Paul Fitzgerald)