The origin of coffee beans: the mystery of black gold in animal poop

Coffee beans are a popular drink, but their origin has a mysterious story. It is said that coffee beans were first found in animal feces, which is also known as the "mystery of black gold." Below we will explore the origin of coffee beans from three aspects.

First, we need to understand why coffee beans appear in animal feces. According to archaeologists, there is an animal called wild macaque (Chlorocebus aethiOPS) living in Ethiopia, Africa. When these wild macaques eat local plant fruits, they excrete the undigested fruits. These fruits contain coffee beans that have not been digested.

Secondly, we need to understand how humans discovered and used this "black gold". According to historical records, around the 9th century AD, Ethiopian monks noticed that wild macaques were particularly excited and active after eating the fruits of a certain plant. So they began to try eating the fruits and found that they had a refreshing effect. Then, they ground the fruits and added water to make a drink, namely coffee.

Finally, we need to understand how coffee beans spread from Africa to all parts of the world. In the 15th century AD, Arab merchants brought coffee beans to the Middle East and began to plant and trade them. Over time, coffee gradually spread to Europe, Asia, and America. In this process, people gradually realized that only roasted and ground coffee beans can achieve the best taste.

In summary, the "Mystery of Black Gold" reveals that coffee beans originated from animal feces and became a popular drink through human discovery and use. It started with wild macaques in Ethiopia eating undigested fruits, and then monks tried to eat and make drinks, and then spread it to all parts of the world through Arab merchants. Today, people who enjoy coffee around the world may rarely think that the origin of this cup of coffee is so closely related to animal feces.