Speaking of using hexane to extract oil from soybeans: Apparently, back in 1981, the Ralston-Purina plant in Louisville, Kentucky, illegally discharged hexane vapors into the city sewer system—leading to a series of explosions that destroyed two miles of sewer line. Luckily, this happened super-early in the morning, meaning lots of people were woken up, but nobody was killed. (Via Dr. Kiki Sanford)