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Bill Gates and Richard Branson Back Startup That Grows 'Clean Meat' (bloomberg.com)
A large global agricultural company has joined Bill Gates and Richard Branson to invest in a nascent technology to make meat from self-producing animal cells. "Memphis Meats, which produces beef, chicken and duck directly from animal cells without raising and slaughtering livestock or poultry, raised $17 million from investors including Cargill, Gates and billionaire Richard Branson, according to a statement Tuesday on the San Francisco-based startup's website," reports Bloomberg. From the report: This is the latest move by an agricultural giant to respond to consumers, especially Millennials, who are rapidly leaving their mark on the U.S. food world. That's happening through surging demand for organic products, increasing focus on food that's considered sustainable and greater attention on animal treatment. Big poultry and livestock processors have started to take up alternatives to traditional meat. To date, Memphis Meats has raised $22 million, signaling a commitment to the "clean-meat movement," the company said.
I would imagine that they'll label it in some way just because I can't imagine vegetarians or vegans objecting to eating it. Otherwise if it's molecularly the same, who cares if it came from a factory where it was grown artificially or if some critter carried it around before having it shorn off. As long as it still tastes good (some meat isn't just the muscle, but also the intramuscular fat) I'll eat it. If it eventually means I can get a great cut of steak for $2 at the market because this is cheaper than feeding an actual cow, I think it would go a long way towards being able to supply more of the world with protein.
I think Mr. Herbert had it right. We should start the engineering at the animal level and shoot for a creating a mindless animal that grows continuously without movement. Just shovel garbage in one end and slice meat off the other.
The slig is an awesome idea!
"Microsoft meat" sounds about as appetizing as cockroach pie.
Does it include an EULA? It might really end the user.
Table-ized A.I.
This has a lot of a religious sermon: Lots of postulation, little in terms of evidence. Or at least any kind of hint resembling something akin to a shred of an inkling that any of this is based in reality and that we should believe any of it on anything other than "I told you so".
You can grow this stuff in a controlled environment. No antibiotics needed because when there are no bacteria there is no need to use something to kill them.
To the rest of the drivel, well, "chemistry baaaad" sums it up pretty nicely. Why do I have the feeling I'm dealing with a homeopathetic anti-vaxer?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.