Your morning coffee may be hundreds of thousands of years old
That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 years old.
Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world’s most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as “arabica.”
The researchers, hoping to learn more about the plants to better protect them from pests and climate change, found that the species emerged around 600,000 years ago through natural crossbreeding of two other coffee species.
“In other words, prior to any intervention from man,” said Victor Albert, a biologist at the University at Buffalo who co-led the study.
These wild coffee plants originated in Ethiopia but are thought to have been first roasted and brewed primarily in Yemen starting in the 1400s. In the 1600s, Indian monk Baba Budan is fabled to have smuggled seven raw coffee beans back to his homeland from Yemen, laying the foundation for coffee’s global takeover.
Related articles
Insider Q&A: CIA's chief technologist's cautious embrace of generative AI
Knowledge advantage can save lives, win wars and avert disaster. At the Central Intelligence Agency,2024-05-21Buescher confronts Reddick after another near
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Chris Buescher let his frustrations out over a second close call that cost h2024-05-21- GRETNA, La. (AP) — A Louisiana jury has convicted one former law enforcement officer and acquitted a2024-05-21
How Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney are taking Hollywood by storm with VERY different approaches
Since Euphoria first aired in 2019, Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney have enjoyed tremendous success - slo2024-05-21Brazil replaces injured goalkeeper Ederson in Copa America squad
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil coach Dorival Júnior has replaced injured goalkeeper Ederson with Sao P2024-05-21How to make a bouquet last longer this Mother's Day
There’s nothing quite like receiving a fresh bouquet of cut flowers. They can cheer up a room, bring2024-05-21
atest comment