Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! Welcome to another edition of Scientific Americans Science Quickly. Im Rachel Feltman, and today well explore some fascinating science news highlights from the past week that you might have missed.

Lets start with a subject that is sure to energize many of you: coffee. For years, the best way to gain insights into how to brew the perfect cup of pour-over coffee might have involved chatting with a coffee aficionado at a hip Brooklyn party. However, a groundbreaking study recently published in the journal Physics of Fluids brings empirical science into the conversation, offering clarity on the brewing process.

This research employed transparent silica gel particles to simulate coffee grounds, enabling the scientists to capture high-speed footage demonstrating how water flows through a pour-over setup under various conditions. The findings reveal that the optimal method for brewing a robust cup of coffee involves maximizing the contact time between water and coffee grounds while ensuring sufficient mixing to extract as much flavor as possible. The key takeaway? Pour slowly from a greater height to enhance water velocity, effectively optimizing the brewing process. Implementing a narrow stream from a gooseneck kettle can significantly aid in achieving this ideal brew. Interestingly, the researchers suggest that if executed correctly, its possible to produce a stronger cup of coffee using fewer grounds. They recommend starting with a slight reduction in your usual amountperhaps just a few grams per servingand experimenting with different pour heights until you find your perfect strength.

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Now that we are all energized and ready to tackle the week ahead, lets shift gears to a more somber topic: recent cuts in federal funding for climate research. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the Trump administration is set to retract approximately $4 million in research grants designated for climate change projects at Princeton University. According to the department's press release, the projects affected are no longer aligned with the program objectives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and do not align with the administration's priorities.

Among the projects facing funding cuts is one that investigates how water supplies may be impacted by global warming. The Department of Commerce stated that using federal funds to perpetuate these narratives does not align with the priorities of this Administration, a statement that raises concerns when discussing critical climate change research. Furthermore, the press release accused some of these projects of contributing to climate anxiety, a term increasingly used to trivialize genuine concerns regarding the climate crisis.

In a related environmental study published last Thursday in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, researchers revealed that less than 10 percent of the plastic produced worldwide in 2022 contained recycled materials. That year alone saw the production of over 400 million tons of plastic, a figure that is projected to more than double by 2050. Alarmingly, the study indicates that only about 28 percent of plastic waste reached the sorting stage, and of that, only half was recycled. While China topped the list for total plastic consumption in 2022, the United States led in per capita usage, with each American consuming an average of approximately 476 pounds (216 kilograms) of plastic annually.

This complex issue surrounding plastic usage is a significant challenge that high-income countries must address. The intent isnt to induce guilt over your pile of old takeout containers but rather to inspire positive changes. If youve been contemplating ways to reduce your plastic footprint, perhaps this new data can encourage you to make some more sustainable choices, such as carrying reusable straws and utensils or shopping at bulk grocery stores that allow you to use your own containers.

Now, lets take a cosmic journey to our neighboring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). A new study featured in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series reveals some intriguing developments in this nearby galaxy. Researchers tracked the movements of about 7,000 stars, each more than eight times the mass of our sun, and discovered that these stars are moving in various directions across the galaxys expanse. They suspect that the gravitational influence of the larger Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is pulling the SMC apart. Understanding the interactions between the SMC, LMC, and the Milky Way is vital for comprehending galaxy formation and dynamics.

In other astronomical news, a recent study published in Nature Astronomy utilized data from the Hubble Space Telescope to provide a more precise estimate of Uranus's rotation period. Previously, we believed a day on Uranus lasted 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 24 seconds, based on the measurements taken during Voyager 2's flyby in 1986. This earlier estimate relied on observations of the planet's magnetic field and radio signals from its auroras. However, the new research, which analyzed over a decade of Hubble data, focused on monitoring the movement of Uranuss auroras, enabling scientists to accurately locate its magnetic poles. The updated findings have added 28 seconds to the planet's rotation period, emphasizing that even the smallest adjustments in our understanding of such cosmic entities are significant.

Finally, let's delve into some new insights regarding the extinction of the dinosaurs. Past research suggested that dinosaurs were in decline before the infamous asteroid impact that contributed to their demise. However, a study published last Tuesday in Current Biology argues that dinosaurs were thriving prior to the asteroid event. By analyzing the North American fossil record over the 18 million years leading up to the mass extinction, which included approximately 8,000 fossil specimens, the researchers observed that while there was a decline in the fossil record, it may not indicate a decline in dinosaur populations. They propose that geological changes affected the preservation of dinosaur fossils, making them less accessible to future archaeologists. This fresh perspective opens the door to the possibility that, had circumstances been different, dinosaurs might still roam the Earth todayaside from their avian descendants, of course.

This concludes our news roundup for the week. Be sure to join us on Wednesday for a discussion on a trending disinfectant that sounds almost too good to be true: hypochlorous acid. Tune in to uncover the full story behind this so-called miracle molecule.

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, alongside Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy, and Jeff DelViscio. The episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. For more up-to-date and in-depth science news, subscribe to Scientific American.

From all of us at Scientific American, Im Rachel Feltman. Have a fantastic week!