Geek Trivia: Which Of These Commonly Consumed Substances Is Actually A Pesticide?

Aspirin Alcohol Dextrose Caffeine geek-trivia-which-of-these-commonly-consumed-substances-is-actually-a-pesticide photo 1

geek-trivia-which-of-these-commonly-consumed-substances-is-actually-a-pesticide photo 2

Answer: Caffeine

You most likely know caffeine as the substance that gives you a boost in your morning cup of coffee (or, perhaps if it doesn’t sit well with you, gives you a bad case of the jitters). The fact that caffeine does anything at all to the human body is merely a curious biological coincidence, however, and caffeine’s role in the natural world is that of a pesticide.

You read that correctly: although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world, it isn’t a pick-me-up for plants like it is for humans and, in fact, exists in plants to ward off predators. Although most closely associated with coffee plants, caffeine is present in approximately sixty plants including the leaves of the tea bush, kola nuts, yaupon holly leaves, and seeds from Amazonian maple guarana berries. While the substance acts as a stimulate in humans, in insects it causes paralysis and even death and functions as an effective pesticide for the diverse number of temperate climate plants around the world that produce it.

On a related note, another widely consumed drug is also a pesticide (insecticide): nicotine. The active ingredient in cigarettes is used by tobacco plants as a pesticide just like caffeine. Historically, nicotine was even sold in powdered form for use in farming, but is no longer on the market due to toxicity concerns.

Image by Skitterphoto.

Article Geek Trivia: Which Of These Commonly Consumed Substances Is Actually A Pesticide? compiled by Original article here

More stories

How to Configure the Windows 10 Weather App

While there haven’t been a ton of revolutionary improvements to the Windows Weather app since its revamp in Windows 8, it’s still a popular way for people to quickly check in with the weather from their desktop. Here’s how to configure your app’s settings, manage your favorite’s list, and set up the

How to Set Up, Tweak, and Use Your Android Wear Watch

Android Wear is a rather useful addition to your arsenal of technology, but getting to know a completely new device can be overwhelming. Here’s everything you need to know about setting up, tweaking, and using your new Android Wear watch.

How to Reset Microsoft Edge in Windows 10

Microsoft Edge is still in its early days, and occasionally, problems can arise. If you find that Edge is experiencing slow performance, crashes, or the weird appearance of adware, toolbar, or popups, then you may have to reset Microsoft Edge.

How to Adjust Your Mac’s Screen Brightness, Manually and Automatically

MacBooks attempt to automatically manage your display brightness for you, dimming the display when you step away from an outlet and adjusting the brightness to suit the overall light level nearby. But you can adjust the brightness manually and even disable these features, if you like.