The New York Times' Henry Fountain filed a report today on a groundbreaking development that has major implications for the coffee industry and everyone else on the planet: Way smarter than you scientists at the University of Nevada-Reno have made diesel fuel from used coffee grounds!
So, how did this happen? Were these scientists conducting some kind of super secret study--hehe, Nevada--that's taken years, perhaps even decades of 'round the clock inquiry and experimentation to prove useful? Did they will themselves through spirit-crushing failure and seemingly certain intellectual defeat time and time again, all the while sure, damn sure that they would find the solution and with it win complete vindication from their peers that they were not indeed mad?
Not exactly. Seems one of the scientists, Dr. Mano Misra, left a cup of untouched coffee sitting on the table one night and the next morning noticed that there was a layer of oil floating atop the liquid. He then brought this curious fact to the attention of his two colleagues, Narasimharao Kondamudi and Susanta K. Mohapatra, postulating on what use this oil could have, and--Viola!--biodiesel was born from waste coffee grounds.
"That's it?!" you cry. "They stumbled upon it by accident?" Yes, but some of the very best ideas have come in the form of happy accidents. You do bring up a valid point, however. The fact is that anyone who works or has worked in the coffee industry knows that roasted java beans and grounds possess an enormous amount of oil, which is why you should never put coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. Too bad most of those people aren't scientists.
It's just another example of why interdisciplinary education, working environments and social networking should become a way of life. Without access to diverse forms of knowledge, it takes a lot longer to see what's floating right in front of your face.
Link (via CoffeeTalk)
