Photo credit: Allie
The first in a compilation of PhD Short Stories - Why are scientists always drinking coffee?
Coffee break at ten, noon, one, and four.
And maybe even five, if you’re a coffee addict, or a nerd, or both. If you have ever attended an academic conference of any sort, you have likely experienced this. By the end of the day, you might even be shivering from the caffeine rush. Three, four days in a row, but it’s okay—you’re gonna get drunk at the happy hour afterwards; sleep will be imminent, and you will be ready for yet another highly caffeinated day of science!
So where does this culture come from? Why is the coffee literally on tap at any conference? To fully understand, we must take a journey to 17th century Europe—Shakespeare and Galileo are alive and well, and with them, a revolution in artistic expression and scientific inquiry. During these times, potable water was a rarity. There were few methods in place for adequate filtration and sterilization to kill off deadly bugs like cholera and dysentery.
And so, everyone was always drunk—deadly pathogens survived poorly in alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, making them the drink of choice at all social functions, including gatherings amongst the intellectuals. Even back in those days, however, it was abundantly clear that productivity was negatively correlated with the fun and the booze. Caffeine, on the other hand, has many of the same benefits as alcohol in staving off pesky waterborne illnesses, while at the same time stimulating productivity. So, when coffee arrived in Europe in the early midcentury, it rapidly popularized and permeated itself throughout the academic circles. In fact, in England, so-called ‘penny universities’ became ubiquitous—locations where a penny could get you a cup of coffee and a stimulating conversation. Productivity boomed, and science marched forth, bolstered by the bitter beverage. So here we are, java in hand, meeting new colleagues, geeking out, or simply trying to fit in, all thanks to an old-timey booze replacement wonder.
-Alex
Photo credit: Nathan Dumlao