Coffee

One of the main proposed uses for legged robots is the exploration of disaster sites. In order to walk across all that rubble, though, they would definitely need to be sure-footed – which is where new coffee-filled robot feet are designed to come in.

New research has found the bitter characteristics of coffee can make a person more sensitive to sweetness. The study found this effect was independent of caffeine and helps explain why many people enjoy the experience of dark chocolate with coffee.

We've been hearing more and more about biodegradable plastics, made from cellulose nanofibers. Although those fibers are typically harvested from wood waste, new research shows that they could also be obtained from mega-plentiful used coffee grounds.

A team of scientists has created a mathematical model for what they say is the ideal coffee, recommending that a less-is-more approach could lead baristas to produce one heavenly espresso after another, using around a quarter fewer beans.

Caffeine has long been considered an effective appetite-suppressant, and it's been shown to effectively speed up the body’s fat metabolism processes. Now, research has homed in on another mechanism that may explain caffeine’s anti-obesity properties.

A new assortment of eco-conscious products are helping us chip away at our plastic pollution problem. The Unocup is a simple yet clever example, using a paper folding design to give coffee drinkers a takeout option without the need for a plastic lid.

Swedish bike maker Vélosophy has used hundreds of thousands of used coffee pods to produce a line of stylish urban bikes.

​PicoBrew has continued to build out its lineup of brewing machines, with the newly launched Pico MultiBrew the latest to join the family. The device makes brewing up a cup of Joe its priority, but will apparently be perfectly capable of serving up beer, tea, kombucha and other beverages, too.

Denver-based company Sträva revealed it has begun developing tea and coffee products infused with microdoses of psilocybin. Following the recent decriminalization measure passed in the city of Denver, Sträva suggests it could reach the market with psilocybin coffee within two years.

Adding fuel to the endless coffee debates comes the latest large study. This time, researchers looked at data from over 300,000 people for possible links between coffee and cancer, and found it neither gave, nor prevented us from getting cancers. It's just a tasty beverage after all then.

Nitro-infusion cold-brew is a big thing among coffee aficionados, but most of us need to go to a specialist coffee shop to get our fix – and it's not a cheap fix. Portland's GrowlerWerks has come up with an alternative for us. Nitro cold-brewing (and storing, and pouring) in our own homes.

​Although coffee consumption does potentially pose some health risks, studies have also suggested that it may lower incidences of maladies such as prostate cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and heart disease. Now, scientists believe that it could also help fight obesity.