The Physics of the Art of the Morning Routine: Lessons from Brewing (and Spilling) Coffee

Synopsis

The chemical and physical complexity hiding in a cup of coffee is perhaps matched only by the astounding number of methods for preparing it, each backed by a vociferous and highly energized army of acolytes. With so much room for creation and contention, some would suggest that brewing coffee is more of an art than a science. This may well be true, but it is hardly enough to keep physicists from asking questions. How does modifying parameters like grain size, tamping and water temperature impact the final product? How does one model the downward flow of water through a loose network of particles of varying sizes? When we inevitably spill some coffee on an academic paper we've been pouring over (if you'll excuse the pun), why is the stain darker around the edges than at the interior? In this seminar, I will discuss some of the rich physics surrounding the graduate student's best friend - and what it all has to do with lasers, self-assembly of ordered structures, and rapid detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.