Rats get a whiff of how coffee stirs the brain

Leigh Dayton and Stephanie Dalzell | June 20, 2008

COFFEE-SNIFFING rats have confirmed what caffeine addicts suspect - the mere whiff of a good morning brew gets the brain up and going.

Scientists claim the energising aroma kick-starts genes that reverse the effects of sleep-deprivation.

"These results (help) explain why so many people use coffee for staying up all night," claim researchers led by neuroscientist Yoshinori Masuo with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

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Half-ton of premium coffee beans stolen in Hawaii

Thu Jun 19, 3:03 AM ET

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii - Police in Hawaii say a thief got his caffeine fix when he made off with more than 1,000 pounds of Kona coffee beans.
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Police say the beans were taken from a home sometime between May 27 and May 29. The beans were in 100-pound burlap bags.

Police are asking the public to report anyone trying to sell green coffee beans.

The Kona area of Hawaii's Big Island is famous for its premium coffee beans.