Organic chemist Rob Capon will tell you - cane toads are relentless invaders. Native to Central America they were transported to sugarcane growing regions throughout the world in the hope they would eat and eradicate the beetles that were devastating crops. Not only did they fail to solve the beetle problem, but they also became an invasive species in their own right, marching across several continents despite all efforts at eradication. Rob and his team developed an innovative solution using the invaders’ own chemistry against them, which is already delivering game-changing results across Queensland. As an organic chemist, Rob Capon is a master of interrogating the molecular diversity of the natural world, to acquire and apply new knowledge and new discoveries, to solve some of society’s most pressing scientific, social and economic challenges. As a Professional Research Fellow at The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Rob leads a group of researchers skilled at detecting important biologically active molecules in plants, animals and microbes, which they isolate, identify and evaluate, both for their ecological purpose, and their potential application in the fields of human and animal health, and crop and environmental protection. For Rob, the most rewarding aspect of his work is the challenge that comes from pushing the frontiers of science, to learn of and be inspired by chemicals hidden with Australian ecosystems, and to re-imagine this knowledge to solve important problems in the world today. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx