What’s in your cup of coffee?

Most of us can’t operate heavy machinery without coffee, let alone face another day at the office. And it turns out there are some very specific chemical reasons why.

But before you discover what you’re drinking, some weird coffee news has floated in over the transom. The Guinness Book of World Records has declared that Karl’s Farm in Roevershagen, Germany, has the largest collection of china coffee pots in the world, at 13,267. So, next time you’re in Roevershagen…

And back stateside, a good discussion is percolating about coffee customs on the Boston Globe‘s etiquette blog. Does your office have a responsibility to provide you with a coffee machine? And if so, who has to make sure the pot stays filled? A lot of offices with coffee have moved to the pod system, but those with standard coffee pots invariably have one dedicated volunteer who either makes the weakest or strongest cup you’ve ever had. 

On to what is in your coffee.