Good morning!
GoPro cameras capture action all over the world, from Olympic ski jumps in Sochi to cuddly lion hugfests on the South African savanna. Now, Food & Wine’s new site FWx is putting GoPros somewhere even more extreme: behind the controls of super-tricked-out espresso machines in the country’s top coffee shops. In this clip, barista Erin Meister straps a GoPro to her head for a first-person view of how a cappuccino gets made at Counter Culture Coffee’s New York Training Center.
Nominate your favorite coffee bars on Twitter using #FWx @foodandwine. Your dreamy barista could wear the Cappuccino Cam next.
We can’t stop staring at this.
On Earth, a double shot mocha latte with soymilk, low-fat whip and a caramel drizzle is just about as complicated as a cup of coffee gets. Aboard the International Space Station, however, even just a simple cup of black coffee presents obstacles for crew members.
Understanding how fluids behave in microgravity is crucial to bringing the joys of the coffee bean to the orbiting laboratory. Astronaut Don Pettit crafted a DIY space cup using a folded piece of overhead transparency film. Surface tension keeps the scalding liquid inside the cup, and the shape wicks the liquid up the sides of the device into the drinker’s mouth.
The Capillary Beverage investigation explored the process of drinking from specially designed containers that use fluid dynamics to mimic the effect of gravity. While fun, this study could provide information useful to engineers who design fuel tanks for commercial satellites!
The capillary beverage cup allows astronauts to drink much like they would on Earth. Rather than drinking from a shiny bag and straw, the cup allows the crew member to enjoy the aroma of the beverage they’re consuming.
On Earth, liquid is held in the cup by gravity. In microgravity, surface tension keeps the liquid stable in the container.

The ISSpresso machine brought the comforts of freshly-brewed coffees and teas to the space station. European astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti enjoyed the first cup of espresso brewed using the ISSpresso machine during Expedition 43.


Now, during Expedition 53, European astronaut Paolo Nespoli enjoys the same comforts.
Astronaut Kjell Lindgren celebrated National Coffee Day during Expedition 45 by brewing the first cup of hand brewed coffee in space.
We have a latte going on over on our Snapchat account, so give us a follow to stay up to date! Also be sure to follow @ISS_Research on Twitter for your daily dose of space station science.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
According to a Turkish proverb, coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love.
It’s National Coffee Day, and to celebrate we took a dip into the NPR archives and found this great report tracing the history of the coffee break, courtesy of Special Correspondent Susan Stamberg.
Enjoy!
-Kate
Photo: iStockphoto
Since it’s National Coffee Day, we thought we’d share another!
DESIGN: The Coffee-Making Alarm Clock
We need this because reasons. This one’s for the coffee drinkers amongst you - British designer Joshua Renouf has come up with a coffee making alarm clock which can wake you up with a fresh cup of joe.
Good morning!
Ps. Please let this be real.
Today is National Coffee Day so it’s only right we have two coffee related posts for today!
Wake up and smell the rich history of coffee! The beverage is a morning staple for many, but have you ever wondered about how it’s made? Learn about the process from a 1940s Department of Agriculture series of photographs.
Good morning! Here’s some history while you have a cup of coffee.