Astronomers have spotted a galaxy they believe is made of 99.9% dark matter, reports CNN — and it’s so faint, it’s almost invisible:
CDG-2, which is about 300 million light-years from Earth, appears to be so rich in dark matter that it could belong to a hypothesized subset of low surface brightness galaxies called “dark galaxies,” which are believed to contain few or no stars…. [Post-doctoral astrophysics/statistics fellow Dayi Li at the University of Toronto was lead author on a study about the discovery, and tells CNN] There is no strict definition of dark galaxies… but their existence is predicted by dark matter theories and cosmological simulations. “Where exactly do we draw the line in terms of how many stars they should have is still ambiguous, because not everything in astronomy is as clear-cut as we like,” he said. “To be technically correct, CDG-2 is an almost-dark galaxy. But the importance of CDG-2 is that it nudges us much closer to getting to that truly dark regime, while previously we did not think a galaxy this faint could exist.”
To observe CDG-2, the researchers used data from three telescopes — Hubble, the European Space Agency’s Euclid space observatory and the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii — along with a novel approach that involved looking for objects called globular clusters. “These are very tight, spherical groupings of very olds stars, basically the relics of the first generation of star formation,” Li said. Globular clusters are bright even if the surrounding galaxy is not, and previous observations have shown a relationship between them and the presence of dark matter in a galaxy, Li added. Because CDG-2 appears to have very few stars, there must be something else providing the mass that the clusters need to hold themselves together. Li and his colleagues assume that the source of the mass is dark matter.
The researchers found a set of four globular clusters in the Perseus Cluster, a group of thousands of galaxies immersed in a cloud of gas and one of the most massive objects in the universe. Further observations revealed a glow or halo around the globular clusters, suggesting the presence of a galaxy… Astronomers believe, Li explained, that after the formation of the clusters early in the galaxy’s existence, larger surrounding galaxies stripped it of the hydrogen gas required to make more individual stars like our sun. “The material that this galaxy needed to continue to form stars was no longer there, so it was left with basically just a dark matter halo and the four globular clusters.” The process, he added, would leave behind a skeleton or ghost of “a galaxy that pretty much just failed.” As a result of this formation mechanism, the galaxy only has 0.005% of the brightness of our own galaxy, Li said…
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Studying potential dark galaxies is important because they provide nearly pristine views of the behavior of dark matter, according to Neal Dalal, a researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, who was not involved with the study. Robert Minchin, an astronomer at New Mexico’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory, told CNN that “it seems likely that other very dark galaxies will be found by this method in the future.”
The recently unveiled 32X3A is a 31.5-inch display that can switch between 4K at 240Hz and 480Hz at a lower resolution, likely 1080p, with a grayscale response time of 0.03 milliseconds. According to ITHome, the OLED display covers 99% of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. Anti-glare and anti-reflective coating… Read Entire Article Source link
Microsoft says threat actors are increasingly using artificial intelligence in their operations to accelerate attacks, scale malicious activity, and lower technical barriers across all aspects of a cyberattack.
According to a new Microsoft Threat Intelligence report, attackers are using generative AI tools for a wide range of tasks, including reconnaissance, phishing, infrastructure development, malware creation, and post-compromise activity.
In many cases, AI is used to draft phishing emails, translate content, summarize stolen data, debug malware, and assist with scripting or infrastructure configuration.
“Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed that most malicious use of AI today centers on using language models for producing text, code, or media. Threat actors use generative AI to draft phishing lures, translate content, summarize stolen data, generate or debug malware, and scaffold scripts or infrastructure,” warns Microsoft.
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“For these uses, AI functions as a force multiplier that reduces technical friction and accelerates execution, while human operators retain control over objectives, targeting, and deployment decisions.”
Threat actor use of AI across the cyberattack lifecycle Source: Microsoft
AI used to power cyberattacks
Microsoft has observed multiple threat groups incorporating AI into their cyberattacks, including North Korean actors tracked as Jasper Sleet (Storm-0287) and Coral Sleet (Storm-1877), who use the technology as part of remote IT worker schemes.
In these operations, AI tools help generate realistic identities, resumes, and communications to gain employment at Western companies and maintain access once hired.
Jasper Sleet leverages generative AI platforms to streamline the development of fraudulent digital personas. For example, Jasper Sleet actors have prompted AI platforms to generate culturally appropriate name lists and email address formats to match specific identity profiles. For example, threat actors might use the following types of prompts to leverage AI in this scenario:
Example prompt 1: “Create a list of 100 Greek names.”
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Example prompt 2: “Create a list of email address formats using the name Jane Doe.“
Jasper Sleet also uses generative AI to review job postings for software development and IT-related roles on professional platforms, prompting the tools to extract and summarize required skills. These outputs are then used to tailor fake identities to specific roles.
❖ Microsoft Threat Intelligence
The report also describes how AI is being used to assist with malware development and infrastructure creation, with threat actors using AI coding tools to generate and refine malicious code, troubleshoot errors, or port malware components to different programming languages.
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Some malware experiments show signs of AI-enabled malware that dynamically generate scripts or modify behavior at runtime.
Microsoft also observed Coral Sleet using AI to quickly generate fake company sites, provision infrastructure, and test and troubleshoot their deployments.
When AI safeguards attempt to prevent the use of AI in these tasks, Microsoft says threat actors are using jailbreaking techniques to trick LLMs into generating malicious code or content.
In addition to generative AI use, Microsoft researchers have begun to see threat actors experiment with agentic AI to perform tasks autonomously and adapt to results.
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However, Microsoft says AI is currently used primarily for decision-making rather than for autonomous attacks.
Because many IT worker campaigns rely on the abuse of legitimate access, Microsoft advises organizations to treat these schemes and similar activity as insider risks.
Furthermore, as these AI-powered attacks mirror conventional cyberattacks, defenders should focus on detecting abnormal credential use, hardening identity systems against phishing, and securing AI systems that may become targets in future attacks.
Microsoft is not alone in seeing threat actors increasingly using artificial intelligence to power attacks and lower barriers to entry.
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Google recently reported that threat actors are abusing Gemini AI across all stages of cyberattacks, mirroring what Amazon observed in this campaign.
Amazon and the Cyber and Ramen security blog also recently reported on a threat actor using multiple generative AI services as part of a campaign that breached more than 600 FortiGate firewalls.
Malware is getting smarter. The Red Report 2026 reveals how new threats use math to detect sandboxes and hide in plain sight.
Download our analysis of 1.1 million malicious samples to uncover the top 10 techniques and see if your security stack is blinded.
During the 1990s the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant – formerly the Chernobyl NPP – continued operating with its remaining three RBMK reactors, but of course the 1970s-era automation with its very limited SKALA computer required some serious modernization. What was interesting here is that instead of just replacing this entire Soviet-era mainframe with a brand-new 1990s one, the engineers responsible opted to build a new system – called DIIS – around it. This is detailed in a recent video by the [Chornobyl Family] on YouTube.
This SKALA industrial control system was previously detailed in a video, covering this 24-bit mainframe computer and its many limitations. It wasn’t quite a real-time control system, but it basically did what it was designed to do. Since at the time it was not clear for how long these three RBMKs would be kept running, they didn’t want to go overboard with investments either.
Ultimately Unit 2 only was active until 1991 due to a turbine fire, Unit 1 until 1996 and Unit 3 was shutdown for the last time in 2000, so this a sensible decision. During those years, an auxiliary information-measurement system (DIIS) was the big upgrade, which got bridged into SKALA via a Ukrainian-made SM-1210 minicomputer, with the latter connected to an 80386 PC which itself was connected to an ARCnet hub.
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Best part of this DIIS upgrade was that it made it possible to run modeling algorithms for the reactor core based on measurements, without having to send data all the way over to the central control office in Moscow. Now reactor parameters could be visualized in real-time, and adjustments made via the same PRIZMA program’s magnetic tapes of the SKALA system as before.
Although the result was a bit of an odd mixture of 1970s Soviet mainframe design, 1980s-derived Ukrainian mainframe design and 1990s Intel computing power, it worked well enough to bring the ChNPP to the very doorstep of the 21st century with no issues worthy of note. Definitely a testament to the engineers who hacked this upgrade together and made it work so smoothly.
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Meze Audio has unveiled a new high-end pair of in-ear monitors aimed squarely at serious listeners.
Called the ASTRU, the new earphones promise flagship-level sound performance. However, they stick to a surprisingly simple design: just a single dynamic driver.
That approach is a bit unusual at this level. Many premium IEMs rely on multiple drivers to achieve greater detail and separation. However, Meze says the ASTRU is engineered to deliver similar layering and resolution using a single 10mm dynamic driver.
The secret lies in its unusual diaphragm design. The driver uses a multilayer composite structure with more than 80 ultra-thin layers of gold, applied through a 48-hour vacuum sputtering process.
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Furthermore, that dome is bonded to a titanium layer and mounted on a PEEK base. This combination, Meze says, helps balance fast transient response with the warmth and physical punch dynamic drivers are known for. The result, at least on paper, should be a sound profile that’s detailed but still full-bodied.
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The build quality is just as ambitious. Each ASTRU shell is CNC-machined from a single block of pure titanium, then finished with a multi-stage electroplating process to create a satin texture.
Image Credit (Meze Audio)
According to Meze, producing each matched pair takes up to seven days of precision processing. This is a sign the company is leaning heavily into its usual craftsmanship-focused design philosophy.
The earphones ship as a complete portable listening setup. In the box you’ll find a premium balanced cable with a 4.4mm termination, CNC-anodised aluminium hardware, and a 4.4mm-to-3.5mm adapter for broader device compatibility. Five ear tip sizes (XS to XL) are included. Additionally, there is a protective pouch and a soft PU leather carry envelope.
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On the spec sheet, the ASTRU features a 10mm dynamic driver, a 5Hz–35kHz frequency range, 32-ohm impedance, and 111dB sensitivity. Total harmonic distortion is listed below 0.1% at 1kHz.
The ASTRU will make its public debut at CanJam New York on March 7. Afterwards, it will go on sale worldwide from March 20, 2026 via Meze’s website and selected retailers.
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Pricing is set at £819 / $899 / €899, positioning the ASTRU firmly in the premium IEM space. Though it is still short of the four-figure prices many flagship earphones now command.
Platform reviewed: PS5 (on PS5 Pro and PlayStation Portal) Available on: PS5 Release date: February 12, 2026
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But before a collective “Boy!” could be bellowed in celebration of all this news, we also got word that a new series’ spin-off game is rumored to be in the works. Given that you’d need a Leviathan Axe to cut through all these recent reveals and rumors, you could be excused for overlooking God of War Sons of Sparta, a brand-new prequel entry that was shadow-dropped shortly after the Greek trilogy remake reveal.
A retro-flavored 2D action-platformer starring a teenage Kratos, Sons of Sparta is a far cry from what the franchise has previously delivered. Borrowing heavily from the Metroidvania genre, the smaller-scale game has also earned the ire of some players – including series’ creator David Jaffe – who’ve been less than impressed by this fresh direction for the franchise.
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But while the game never reaches the epic highs of its predecessors, I’ve mostly had a good time stabbing, puzzle-solving, and exploring the would-be god-slayer’s early stomping grounds, especially when braving its land of Laconia on my PlayStation Portal.
Admittedly, Sons of Sparta doesn’t make a fantastic first impression. Its action is slow to start, and its early environments sport a muted tone that can come off a bit drab on a large display, like the 65″ 4K TV I started my journey on.
The game’s combat and world didn’t immediately grab me, but its characters and narrative did.A collaboration between Sony Santa Monica Studio, who penned the story, and Mega Cat Studios, Sons of Sparta is cleverly framed as a tale adult Kratos – voiced by the protagonist’s first performer, TC Carson – tells his young daughter Calliope.
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Narration from the older Kratos, as well as some fun exchanges between him and his little girl, are peppered throughout the lengthy campaign. But the bulk of the storytelling is delivered by young Kratos and his brother Deimos. The siblings, who are enduring the agoge in hopes of becoming Spartan soldiers, are richly realized with top-notch writing and quality voice acting.
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In fact, it’s the brothers’ engaging, evolving dynamic that drew me to revisit the game on my PlayStation Portal after all but abandoning it following a short session on my PS5 Pro. And I’m so glad I returned to it, as Sons of Sparta is not only a perfect fit for the portable platform, but investing more time in it allowed me to appreciate what it had to offer after its subpar start.
The game’s combat, which feels a bit plodding in the opening hours, really finds its footing a few hours in. Kratos can’t do a whole lot with his equipped sword and shield initially, but it’s not long before your inventory is brimming with abilities, upgrades, and skills. The franchise’s familiar red orbs, as well as other collected resources, can be invested in a variety of offensive and defensive skills, while a number of weapon attachments can be acquired and upgraded.
The gods also get in on the action, gifting Kratos with a number of cool tools – like a fire-spewing tree branch – that can combat baddies, assist with puzzle-solving, and open previously obstructed parts of the map.
Speaking of the game’s sprawling navigational interface, viewing and using the tool on the Portal’s 8-inch, rectangular display immediately struck me with a satisfying sense of nostalgia. Having spent my youth studying maps in Metroid and Castlevania entries – as well as other classic side-scrollers – on Nintendo’s many handhelds and Sony’s own PlayStation Portable and Vita, it was a blast witnessing Sons of Sparta‘s map blossom in all directions on the more diminutive screen.
But playing on the Portal did more than recall my favorite map-navigating memories. The prequel’s painterly, hand-drawn pixel art style really pops on the portable hardware’s 1080p HD display. Where the game felt a bit small and swallowed up by my TV’s 65″ screen, its varied, vibrant environments arguably presented much better on the smaller LED screen.
Of course, the innate intimacy of playing on a portable platform also deserves credit for putting the game in its best light; I was able to appreciate far more detail playing Sons of Sparta a few inches from my face rather than squinting at it from across my living room.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Portal’s handgrips deliver the same immersion-ratcheting features as the PS5‘s DualSense Wireless Controller. From feeling the rhythmic cadence of Kratos readying his Solar Sling – another fun gift from the gods – to the intense, sustained pulse that builds when opening a treasure chest, the handheld’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are easily on par with the standard DualSense controller.
And speaking again to that more intimate portable experience, seeing Sons of Sparta’s action unfold directly between those rumbling, vibrating handgrips adds a level of immersion and immediacy that playing on a console just can’t match.
I further complemented my time behind Kratos’ spear and shield by pairing Sony’s PlayStation Pulse Elite headset with the Portal. As expected, this allowed me to absorb every detail of the game’s dynamic soundscape, from ear-rattling boss encounters to the nuanced echo of water dripping in the game’s atmospheric Grand Cistern environment.
Sons of Sparta is undoubtedly a smaller-scale entry in a series known for making big, bold, blood-soaked splashes with each release. But while the stakes of its story are lower, and it lacks some of the epic set pieces, cinema-rivaling effects, and adrenaline-pumping action of its predecessors, it still delivers a solid, albeit quite different, God of War action-adventure.
If you’re expecting a 2D take on Kratos’ previous god-slaying exploits, Sons of Sparta will likely disappoint. But if you’re craving a fresh, canon story supported by a serviceable metroidvania structure, deep combat, and plenty of fan-pleasing call-outs to the larger franchise, this unconventional prequel’s got you covered…especially when enjoyed on the PlayStation Portal.
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Should you play God of War Sons of Sparta?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
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Accessibility features
God of War Sons of Sparta includes an impressive suite of accessibility features, from various audio adjustments and visuals assists – including options for customizing color filters, text sizes, and blood and gore effects – to motion reduction aids and gameplay settings for decreasing difficulty.
In addition to including a number of presets for accessibility features, the game also offers plenty of individual selections for a more tailored experience.
I played a few hours of God of War Sons of Sparta on my PlayStation 5 Pro, on my 65″ 4K display, before fully committing to it – and enjoying it much more – on my PlayStation Portal, streamed from the Pro.
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I tested Sons of Sparta‘s audio with both the PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds and PlayStation Pulse Elite headset, with the bulk of my 25-hour playtime using the latter. I paid particular attention to how the game looked and played on the portable device versus the console, and noted the various ways it incorporated the handheld’s DualSense features.
The Soundcore Q20i headphones, priced at $39.99 (was $70), give impressive performance at a reasonable price. This over-ear model from Anker’s Soundcore brand combines hybrid active noise cancellation, a long battery life, and configurable sound profiles into a product that constantly receives high praise for being one of the best value-for-money options available.
The main draw is hybrid noise cancellation, which uses four microphones, two in each cup and two on the outside, to reduce ambient noise by up to 90%. Low rumbles from engines or air conditioning are immediately muted, while background chatter is reduced to the point that talks with someone nearby feel far away. The transparency mode switch flips this around, allowing you to let outside sounds in when necessary, such as when you’re on a train or at a station and want to hear announcements, or just want to keep attentive when out for a walk. Users have reported that the device functions effectively in real-world circumstances such as flights, buses, and extremely crowded workspaces, yet if you’re in a really loud location, you may still experience some bleed through.
Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling: 2 internal and 2 external mics work in tandem to detect external noise and effectively reduce up to 90% of it, no…
Immerse Yourself in Detailed Audio: The noise cancelling headphones have oversized 40mm dynamic drivers that produce detailed sound and thumping beats…
40-Hour Long Battery Life and Fast Charging: With 40 hours of battery life with ANC on and 60 hours in normal mode, you can commute in peace with your…
People are blown away by the battery life; with noise cancellation switched on, you get a respectable 40 hours of playback, which increases to a stunning 60 hours if you turn it off. A 5-minute charge provides an additional 4 hours of playback, which is ideal for those occasions when you are trapped in a conference or forgot the charger in the meeting room. Bluetooth 5.0 handles all connections seamlessly, since you can link with two devices at once and it will cheerfully switch between them for you, which is quite useful when you need to transition from a laptop music to a phone call.
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The sound is produced by 40mm dynamic drivers, which benefit from BassUp technology while maintaining crisp details. If you connect the headphones to the provided 3.5mm connection, they will also play Hi-Res music, giving you a snappier high end and a more layered sound. Many listeners have described the profile as engaging and exciting, with deep bass that gets going without overwhelming the mids or voices. The Soundcore app takes things to the next level, with 22 pre-set EQ profiles and the option to tweak the settings to make it exactly right for you. If you need to relax or avoid interruptions, the white noise settings are a wonderful addition.
The memory foam ear cushions are pleasant and snug, and the lightweight frame weighs only approximately 9oz, so you won’t experience sore ears even after wearing them for lengthy periods of time. The foldable form makes them ideal for putting in a bag or backpack for travel, and they still feel rather strong, despite the fact that the plastic construction isn’t exactly fancy. The built-in microphone handles calls well, picking up your voice above background noise and allowing you to hold a regular conversation.
It was 2022’s DART mission where NASA crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid — and the experiment “could have implications for protecting Earth from future asteroid strikes,” writes ScienceNews:
A spacecraft slowed the orbit of a pair of asteroids around the sun by more than 10 micrometers per second… Within a month, researchers showed that the impact shortened Dimorphos’ 12-hour orbit by 32 minutes. Some of the rocks knocked off of Dimorphos fled the vicinity completely, escaping the gravitational influence of the Dimorphos-Didymos pair, says planetary defense researcher Rahil Makadia of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Those rocky runaways took some momentum away from the duo and changed their joint motion around the sun.
To figure out how much that motion was affected, astronomers watched the asteroids pass in front of distant stars, dimming some of the stars’ light like a tiny eclipse. These blinks, called stellar occultations, can be visible from anywhere on Earth and are predictable in advance… Calculating how far off occultation timings were from predictions revealed that the asteroids’ orbit around the sun was about 150 milliseconds slower than before the DART impact…
Didymos and Dimorphos are not a threat to Earth, Makadia says, and weren’t before DART. But knowing how a deliberate impact changes one asteroid’s orbit can help make defense plans against another, “in case we need to do a kinetic impact for real.” The researchers spent nearly two and a half years to collect 22 measurements of the asteroid’s post-crash position, relying on amateur astronomers “to go out into the middle of nowhere and observe the necessary stellar occultations,” acvcording to their paper. Planetary defense researcher even tells ScienceNews “There was an observer who drove two days each way into the Australian outback to get these measurements.”
One needn’t enjoy the music of Rush to respect the multitasking that happens while the Canadian prog trio (RIP Neil Peart) was onstage spinning impeccable note-for-note re-creations of their studio work. A key component of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee’s workflow was the Moog Taurus, which is an archaic monophonic synthesizer that’s controlled by an octave’s worth of organ-like foot pedals that sit on the ground under his rack of synthesizers, which he later transitioned to a MIDI-controlled Ableton-enabled computer.
Newer, heavier bands like Brutus and Russian Circles have carried the torch, the latter utilizing a vintage Taurus up until a band of tweakers ransacked their trailer in 2021. Brian Cook, the bassist of the instrumental metal trio, has since been reunited with his beloved Taurus, but in the meantime he utilized a Keith McMillen Instruments 12 Step paired with a Moog Minotaur Model to re-create the squelching, thundering low-end he’s famous for wielding while he plays a baritone guitar with his hands.
The 12 Step 2 expands on the original with five-pin DIN input and output, as well as expanded expression options with each of the 12 pedals that are laid out just like an octave on a keyboard. Both the pressure and the tilt of each pedal can be mapped to unique CCs, allowing things like filter, attack, and resonance to be adjusted as you bear down on each press. The computer-based editor is simple to understand, and each pedal can send chords with up to five notes each for a richer sound with minimal tap dancing. You’ll need your own module to generate sounds with the MIDI messages sent by each pedal, but the USB output can be routed into a phone, tablet, or laptop for easy control of synth plugins on any sort of device you have. The 12 Step 2 is light, durable, and thin, making it easy to drop on top of your guitar pedals before you stash them in a road case for safe keeping. The same can’t be said about a Moog Taurus or the Roland PK-6, which is 3 inches high and 10 pounds, versus the 12 Step 2, which is 1 inch high and only 1.25 pounds.
Coffee is the original office biohack and the nation’s most popular productivity tool. As we lose sleep to the changeover to daylight saving time, the caffeine-addicted WIRED Reviews team is writing about our favorite coffee brewing routines and devices that’ll keep us alert and maybe even happy in the morning. Today, reviewer Matthew Korfhage expounds on his lasting love for drip coffee—and why the Ratio Four never leaves his counter. In the days after, we’ll add other Java.Base stories about other WIRED writers’ favorite brewing methods.
As with any vice worth having, a morning coffee routine can take on the character of religion. And like a lot of religion, it’s often born as much accident as moral conviction. My denomination is good, old-fashioned drip coffee. That’s what I drink first thing, before I even think about crafting a shot of espresso.
I’m WIRED’s lead coffee writer and I’ve developed a deep fondness for coffee’s many variations, from espresso to Aeropress to cold brew. But “coffee” to me, in my deepest soul, still means a steaming mug of unadulterated drip. Luckily, that’s also the coffee arena that has been transformed the most by technology in recent years. The drip coffee from the Ratio Four coffee maker (now quietly on its second generation) feels to me like coffee’s purest form, the liquid distillation of what my coffee beans smell like fresh off the grinder.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Ratio
Four Small-Batch Brewer (Series 2)
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My love of filter coffee began as a teenager traveling and studying in India—perhaps my first glimpse of adult freedom. This is where I drank the first full cup of coffee I remember finishing. In Jaipur, filter coffee was an intense, jet-black gravity brew typically mixed with milk and sugar. I decided that if I was going to drink coffee, I would take it straight and learn to like it on its own terms. A newfound friend, tipping jaggery into his own brew, laughed at my insistence I didn’t want sweetened milk. I then downed a cup so thick and strong and caffeinated it made my hairs stand at perpendicular. If I’d made a mistake, I refused to admit it.
I carried this preference back to Oregon, drinking unadulteratedly black, terrible drip coffee at all-night diners and foul office breakrooms. Black coffee had become a morality clause, though it was hardly a matter of taste.
It wasn’t until years later that I discovered that drip coffee could actually be an indulgence every bit as refined as pinkies-up espresso.
Upping the Drip
In part, this was a problem of technology. Aside from a classic Moccamaster, it’s only very recently that home drip coffee makers have been able to produce a truly excellent cup. For years, I didn’t keep one at my home.
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What woke me up to drip’s possibilities was a new wave of cafes in Portland, first third-wave coffee pioneer Stumptown Coffee and then especially Heart Coffee Roasters in Portland. Heart’s Norwegian owner-roaster, Wille Yli-Luoma, expounded to me at length about the aromatic purity of light-roast immersion coffee—the fruity aromatics of a first-crack Ethiopian that could smack of peach or nectarine or blueberry. Scandinavians had long prized this, he told me, and had evolved light-roast coffee into pure craft. America was finally catching up.
Still, I could never quite get that same flavor or clarity on a home brewer. Not until recently. To get the best version, I still had to walk up the street to Heart and get my coffee from the guy who roasted it. Or I had to spend way too long drizzling water over coffee in a conical filter. I rarely wanted to do this while still bleary from sleep, already late for work.
