In "Tissue-Engineered Leather Could be Mass-Produced by 2017", Micheal Keller and Txchnologist report on engineering efforts happening now to make both meat and leather factory products not animal products. Keller and Txchnologist point out that producing meat and leather by growing them in factory cultures using known biological science would massively reduce not only the need to kill animals to feed humans, but also enormously reduce the land and other natural resources that are needed to produce beef.
When I first read this report in the current issue of Scientific American, I was amazed that the technology was so far advanced. I've been reading with interest reports of similar technology being used to produce transplant organs and parts for humans in surgery, but the last time I read about using similar techniques to produce meat to eat, it sounded as though it was a long way off, but five years for leather and ten years for edible beef isn't that long. And the way science and technology progress, that time might well be shrunk. And a good thing, too. The sooner we can stop using vast resources to produce meat at enormous expense, the better for all: for the cows, the environment, and us human beings who like to eat and dress up in animals we have killed. Again, science and technology are providing real solutions to a host of problems.
But how long will it be before duck, goose, prawns and the other yummy meats we like to eat are available in Tops from this wonderfully unnatural source? (Who said natural is good?) I guess some traditional farmers will object, and that's OK, but I don't think governments should do anything to help them. Interfering in the economy to help selfish groups who don't want to change and compete freely is bad for the whole national economy, as we see, for example, in Thailand where greedy local shop owners want to stop large supermarkets opening stores that people want because they provide a better range of goods are cheaper prices. These selfish groups opposing large supermarkets want the Thai government to force poor Thai farmers and other ordinary people to keep paying higher, non-competitive prices for lower quality goods and poorer service. This is not only bad economics, it's seriously unjust.
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The summary part in this blog response was especially hard because the source is much longer than most BBC News articles. But it was so interesting that I really did want to respond to it.
ReplyDeleteBut tomorrow I can relax while you do the introducing, summarizing and responding to articles in the news.
Peter, after reading this title, I recognize a scientific and mysterious short story that I read ago time ago. The story set scene in the future world;I can not remember exactly period. Life expectancy of human in the story was about fifteen years. It described that a future man studied and finished university about two years and then got married. Beyond that, future food was extremely high technology food, which was filled in capsule. There are varied kind of food such as cake or pizza capsule. And most interested of all, digestion system of the future people are unbelievable short about twenty centimeters. However, there was the mysterious death of a scientist who involved to a discovery. Under a project in Alaska, scientists discovered many death bodies which were completely different from them. Of course, they found us who are today world. After testing, the most part that scientists did not understand was why the bodies had very longer digestion system about more than kilometers. This discovery was hidden because of some food manufacturers.
ReplyDeleteIt might happen soon.
Peter,
ReplyDeleteI very surprised, technology and engineering can printout meat and leather in the industrial processes in five years and It will reduce a tons of greenhouse gases.
Let's me tell you, It is importance thing to reduce greenhouse gases, especially, Methane (CH4), a majority chemical compound that expose in livestock industry, it have an ability to destroy parts of the atmosphere more than Carbon-monoxide (CO2) that is combustion products such as exhaust exposed form cars around 21 times (21Global Warming Potential). Fantastic, Engineering can reduce it.
Some part in the article described that it is a science mistake. I a little bit concern about genetic modification, if it doesn't any effect to the human that is would be helpful to the mankind. I would like to eat bio-printed prawns my favorite one.
It's good to know this kind of information and make me feel good either. Since I decided to stop eating beef for a few years ago, or it may not hundred percen sometime when I got no choice but it could be counted a few times a year. It's not easy becuase beef is yammy but I really serious and discipline because it makes me healthier than before. I and my family mainly eat fish, seafood, chicken, duck and alot of vegetable. We actually plant herbs and vegetable in our land, just a small area around the house instead of having a lot of beautiful flowers around. So nothing effect to our life if we don't have beef to eat and definately not interest to eat edible beef made from advance technology.
ReplyDelete