Hikado

Coffee, but hold the coffee
Coffee-sniffing rats have confirmed what caffeine addicts suspect - the mere whiff of a good morning brew gets the brain up and going, The Australian newspaper reports. "These results [help] explain why so many people use coffee for staying up all night," said researchers led by neuroscientist Yoshinori Masuo with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. To track coffee aroma's trip from cup to brain, scientists exposed sleep-deprived and well-rested rats to the smell of fresh-roasted Colombian coffee. The nose is directly connected to the brain and it is known that inhaled compounds are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Dr. Masuo said it is likely the results would hold true for people and, if so, he hopes to determine if it is better to smell coffee than to drink it when weary workers need to stay awake.