Finally, the days of ruined breakfasts and tossed cups of coffee will be a thing of the past, thanks to work being done by researchers in the US and China. Scientists have discovered a simple chemical reaction that can sense if your 2 percent has lost its charm before you get it home and crack it open. The system works by floating a small widget in the milk which can be scanned at a supermarket checkout by magnet -- the device will vibrate slowly if the liquid has thickened. The same will occur if the potentially harmful bug Staphylococcus aureus -- which can cause food poisoning -- thins the consistency of the milk. Researchers claim that the system will cost less than a penny per carton, and could also be used in fruit juices. This all sounds pretty altruistic, but as soon as you can get this into super-cheap domestic beers, please give us a call.

[Via Switched]