What's in Catnip — And Why it Could be Used as an Insecticide

Cats love catnip, but that’s not why the catnip plant makes the kitty drug. It’s got its own merciless schemes… Find out what they are.

Feb 27th, 2017

Cats love catnip, but that’s not why the catnip plant makes the kitty drug. It’s got its own merciless schemes… Find out what they are. If this episode leaves you wanting more chemistry goodness, check out the featured resources below.

Eloisa Vendemiatti, a postdoctoral researcher at WVU, and Vagner Benedito, associate professor of biochemical genetics, observe tomato plants at the WVU Greenhouse. They're working to develop an insecticide-resistant trait to the domesticated tomato.

Researchers Trying to Develop Insecticide-Resistant Tomato

One West Virginia University researcher is confident he will be able to develop a tomato that requires little to no pesticides.

Flames and smoke are seen from an explosion at a chemical plant in Rockton, Ill., Monday, June 14, 2021.

Foam Brings Chemical Plant Fire 'Under Control'

The explosion and fire forced the evacuation of 1,000 residents.

Flames and smoke are seen from an explosion at a chemical plant in Rockton, Ill., Monday, June 14, 2021.

Explosion Rocks Illinois Plant, May Burn for Days

70 employees were evacuated.

This photo provided by Sri Lankan Air Force shows the sinking MV X-Press Pearl at Kapungoda where it is anchored off Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Salvage experts were attempting to tow the fire-stricken container ship that had been loaded with chemicals into the deep sea as the vessel started to sink Wednesday. Water submerged the MV X-Press Pearl's quarterdeck a day after firefighters extinguished a blaze that had been burning for 12 days.

Data Recovered from Sinking Ship

The fire has destroyed most of the ship’s cargo, which included 25 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals.

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San Diego Processing Firm Pleads Guilty to Hazardous Waste Violations

The company improperly disposed of drums containing ethanol.

A Sri Lankan navy soldier clad in a protective suit walks on the mounds of debris that washed ashore from the burning Singaporean ship MV X-Press Pearl which is anchored off Colombo port at Kapungoda, out skirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, May 27, 2021.

Police Investigate Sri Lanka Ship Fire

The government seeks to take legal action against the vessel's owners after the incident caused severe marine pollution.

In this photo provided by Sri Lanka Air Force, smoke rises from the container vessel MV X-Press Pearl engulfed in flames off Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. An explosion occurred Tuesday on a ship anchored off Sri Lanka's capital on which a fire had been burning for several days, prompting the evacuation of all crew members, officials said.

Ship Fire Rages for 6th Day

Some of the fallen containers containing chemicals are believed to have sunk.

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, left, elbow-bumps with Martin Meeson, CEO of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Holly Springs, N.C., March 18, 2021.

Biotech Firm to Build $2B Vaccine Plant

The facility is billed as the largest end-to-end biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in North America.

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Court Orders Shell Nigeria to Compensate Farmers

The company is liable for two leaks that spewed oil over an area of about 60 soccer fields in two villages.

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DuPont, Chemours Reach Agreement on 'Forever' Chemicals

The companies agreed to a 50-50 split of certain expenses, or an aggregate $4 billion.

The PFAS compounds extracted from the ground are destroyed using an ultraviolet light technology inside this trailer.

New Remediation Tech Removes, Destroys 'Forever Chemicals'

PFAS contaminate drinking water supplies serving about one-third of Americans.

The New Jersey Pinelands region in Lakehurst, N.J.

New Jersey Sues 3 Firms Over Chemicals in Drinking Water

Some of the substances at issue are known as “forever chemicals."