Video: The universe in a cup of coffee

Reactions, the ACS YouTube channel that covers the chemistry of everyday life, is joining PBS Digital Studios, a network of original web series from PBS that explore science, arts, culture and more. To celebrate, the Reactions team is doing a deep dive on the surprisingly complex and beautiful chemistry behind their favorite morning beverage: coffee.

The chemistry of the universe is, in a way, in your cup of coffee—from the evolution of caffeine as a defensive chemical weapon in plants to the swirling eddies of milk and coffee fueled by diffusion, Brownian motion and other phenomena. After watching the video, you'll never look at your morning coffee the same way again: