Scientists grow bacon from stem cells!

A new technique that turns pig stem cells into strips of meat could offer a green alternative to the slaughterhouse and help end hunger.

In an effort to make meat production more humane, alleviate hunger and help curb global warming, Dutch researchers have developed a way to grow edible meat in the laboratory from the stem cells of pigs. Although the lab-grown strips of meat don't yet taste or look much like pork (researchers say it has the consistency and feel of scallop), the ramifications for the new technology on the world's food supply could be significant.



"If we took the stem cells from one pig and multiplied it by a factor of a million, we would need one million fewer pigs to get the same amount of meat," said Mark Post, a biologist at Maastricht University involved in the project.

That means the technology could provide food for more people while making the slaughterhouse obsolete. Furthermore, since meat production is such a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, switching to lab-produced meat could theoretically lower the industry's impact on global warming by up to 95 percent.

Quite an interesting idea huh? I wonder what else can be grown from stem cells

For instance, fish stem cells could be used to produce healthy omega 3 fatty acids, which could then be produced instead of the usual artery-clogging fats found in traditional livestock meat.

Obviously this does have it's throwbacks but hey, this news is at least 2 years old I wonder whats going on in the labs behind closed doors these days?

Quite literally... food for thought.

Peace

www.mnn.com...

reply to post by Kluute


As a lover of bacon and also a lover of living animals, this sounds kinda good to me
2nd

reply to post by Kluute

A new technique that turns pig stem cells into strips of meat could offer a green alternative to the slaughterhouse and help end hunger.

Or another even greener alternative, just not eating it to begin with. Just saying.

Ethically concerning the welfare of animals I love the idea. As far as 'ending hunger' I am hesitant to say it's the best approach in an all-encompassing sense.

"Mommy, why am I hungry?"
"Well Billy, the all the Laboratories have closed. We have no way to get any food. It's not as if food grows on trees or anything."
"Mommy, what's a tree?"

Kinda scary that we're investing yet more faith in things that can simply tie is to them, and if TSHTF long lost will be the knowledge of living off the land. At least for the majority of society, they'd perish.

Mind you, whose to say that is a bad thing.

I don't see how this will end hunger. Can anyone actually see this sort of stuff being cheeaper than the current bacon? Are they just going to give it away in this money driven world? yeah right...

reply to post by DarknStormy


Open source replicator time
2nd

You mean stem cell research could potentially redefine modern medicine, cure many previously devastating diseases... and it makes bacon!!!

I literally just heard a chorus of Angels signing.

~Heff

reply to post by Hefficide


It already has redefined it Just need to get ya'll crazy Christians on board to make progress and save lives.

Also, I wonder if the pigs are invited to the pearly gates to hear those heavenly trumpets? I mean we all know dogs go to heaven.. what about Wilbur?

reply to post by Kluute


I like scallops. But my pork cannot resemble scallops.

Down here we are overrun with hogs. I will be shooting my own for the time being, thank you.

out of all the things they can do with stem cells, like growing an arm or a liver or helping with cancer, they decided to clone bacon

O M G ! ! !

All the science has finally paid off!!!

reply to post by Kluute


ill stick with my smoked BLT thanks

nevermind.

I posted thoughts out of line. Post deleted.

Originally posted by taws6
out of all the things they can do with stem cells, like growing an arm or a liver or helping with cancer, they decided to clone bacon

All technology is used for porn.

But when youcan't use it for porn yet, use it for bacon. Same thing, sort of.

I'm pretty sure there are some guys in Central Africa or North Korea that wouldn't mind a strip of beacon that tastes and looks like a scallop.

reply to post by Kluute


Its nice to see this type of technology advance as long as its safe for consumers 1 can imagine the kosher type karma related for not ingesting living creatures as more aware beings of EA*RTH evolve..

if it tastes as good as real bacon i dont give a damn how it was made

Originally posted by taws6
out of all the things they can do with stem cells, like growing an arm or a liver or helping with cancer, they decided to clone bacon

Baby steps. THe techniques they develop from this will lead to the replication of more complex organ systems. A chunk of meat (muscle tissue) is a bit easier to start out with than a whole tissue system (organ).

Originally posted by NavyDoc

Originally posted by taws6
out of all the things they can do with stem cells, like growing an arm or a liver or helping with cancer, they decided to clone bacon

Baby steps. THe techniques they develop from this will lead to the replication of more complex organ systems. A chunk of meat (muscle tissue) is a bit easier to start out with than a whole tissue system (organ).

So what do we expect in there next adventure.. A Bucket of KFC?