EPISODE · Nov 11, 2012 · 3 MIN

Lab Grown Meat?

from Ecogeeks : Untamed Science Video Podcast · host Rob Nelson and Haley Chamberlain

Did you know that with some high-tech lab techniques it is actually possible to grow muscle tissue in the lab – hence the topic “Lab Grown Meat”. As it turns out, later this year Mark Post and fellow Dutch researchers are planning a big release of their lab grown hamburger. It’s a bit like culturing yogurt – well, sort of. A few cells could go a long ways, but what does this mean? Will this technology help improve the environment? Will people want to eat meat grown in the lab? These are just a few questions you may find yourself asking. Fortunately, it’s the topic of this week’s Untamed Science video. Haley helps explain exactly what this is and how it’s done. Hopefully, it helps spur a great deal of conversation in the classroom and beyond. Watch the video on our YouTube Channel here.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 11, 2012

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What this episode covers

Dutch scientists have used stem cells to create strips of muscle tissue with the aim of producing the first lab-grown hamburger later this year. The aim of the research is to develop a more efficient way of producing meat than rearing animals. At a major science meeting in Canada, Prof Mark Post said synthetic meat could reduce the environmental footprint of meat by up to 60%.