> typical "how much caffeine is in X?" tables show tea having caffeine levels similar to coffee,

I have never seen a caffeine comparison table that shows tea and coffee at the same level.

It’s common knowledge that typical coffee brews are in the range of 2-5X higher in caffeine content than typical tea brews.

Tea is widely used as a lower caffeine alternative to coffee.

Quick search shows various infographics: green tea at 20–35 mg, black tea at 45–50 mg, espresso at 45–75 mg, and instant at 60-80 mg on average. The day I feel anything close from a cup of black tea to what I get from an instant coffee or a quarter of a pure caffeine pill, I might start trusting those numbers, but for now I see them as nonsense that tries to present as science.