1. What is a Nightshade: Nightshades belong to a massive plant family called Solanaceae, which includes over two thousand different species of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees found all over the world: it is one of the most diverse plant families on Earth.

2. Surprise Dinner Guests: You likely eat nightshades almost every day because popular and delicious foods like tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers all belong to this family: they are kitchen staples.

3. Not Just Food: While many nightshades are yummy vegetables, others are not meant to be eaten, such as pretty petunia flowers, tobacco plants, and ornamental garden vines: the family has a wild side.

4. Spooky Names: Some wild nightshades have very dramatic and spooky sounding names, like "deadly nightshade" (or belladonna) and "devil's trumpet," because certain wild varieties can be extremely poisonous: their names match their danger.

5. Natural Defense Systems: Many nightshade plants produce chemical compounds called alkaloids to protect themselves from being eaten by hungry bugs and animals: it is their built-in shield.

6. Spud History: When potatoes were first brought to Europe from South America hundreds of years ago, people were deeply suspicious of them and thought they were poisonous because they belong to the nightshade family: they had a bumpy start in Europe.

7. Tomato Myths: For a long time, Europeans grew tomatoes only as decorative garden plants because they believed eating their bright red fruits would make you sick: it took a long time for people to realize how tasty they are.