Lab-Grown Meat Would Cut Emissions and Save Energy - Polidicks

[URL]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714101036.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29[/URL] [QUOTE] Meat grown using tissue engineering techniques, so-called 'cultured meat', would generate up to 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally produced meat, according to a new study. The analysis, carried out by scientists from Oxford University and the University of Amsterdam, also estimates that cultured meat would require 7-45% less energy to produce than the same volume of pork, sheep or beef. It would require more energy to produce than poultry but only a fraction of the land area and water needed to rear chickens. A report of the team's research is published in the journal[I]Environmental Science & Technology[/I]. 'What our study found was that the environmental impacts of cultured meat could be substantially lower than those of meat produced in the conventional way,' said Hanna Tuomisto of Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, who led the research. 'Cultured meat could potentially be produced with up to 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions, 45% less energy, 99% lower land use, and 96% lower water use than conventional meat.' The researchers based their calculations on a process, using[I]Cyanobacteria hydrolysate[/I] as a nutrient and energy source for growing muscle cells, that is being developed by co-author Dr Joost Teixeira de Mattos at the University of Amsterdam. At the moment this sort of tissue engineering technology is confined to the laboratory, but the researchers estimated what the various costs would be for producing 1000kg of cultured meat using a scaled-up version of the technology compared to the costs associated with livestock reared conventionally. In comparison to conventionally-produced European meat, the team estimate cultured meat would involve approximately 7-45% lower energy use, 78-96% lower greenhouse gas emissions, 99% lower land use, and 82-96% lower water use depending on the type of meat. 'We are not saying that we could, or would necessarily want to, replace conventional meat with its cultured counterpart right now,' said Ms Tuomisto, 'however, our research shows that cultured meat could be part of the solution to feeding the world's growing population and at the same time cutting emissions and saving both energy and water. Simply put, cultured meat is, potentially, a much more efficient and environmentally-friendly way of putting meat on the table.' The team point out that their calculations do not currently take into account additional savings from, for instance, the lower energy costs of transport and refrigeration of cultured meat compared to the conventional variety. They also suggest that land freed up from farming could be reforested or used for other carbon sequestration purposes, further lowering the carbon footprint of cultured meat. Ms Tuomisto said: 'There are obviously many obstacles to overcome before we can say whether cultured meat will become part of our diet, not least of which is whether people would be prepared to eat it! But we hope our research will add to the debate about whether we could, or should, develop a less wasteful alternative to meat from animals.' The research was funded by New Harvest, a nonprofit research organisation working to develop new alternatives to conventionally-produced meat. [/QUOTE]

But of course, no-one is going to buy it. "it's lab grown waaaaah I only want natural stuff" they say as they type on their computers (which are organi- wait).

[QUOTE=JgcxCub;31111427]But of course, no-one is going to buy it. "it's lab grown waaaaah I only want natural stuff" they say as they type on their computers (which are organi- wait).[/QUOTE] Not necessarily. It's true you'd get the usual complaints, but there will (And should) be concerns about it's affects on your health and of course the usual foodite "Well it doesn't taste as good" Once the space race kicks off again when we head to Mars, these things will probably get a good income boost.

I'd eat it. I mean I assume lab-grown meat can be made good? Like cooking.

[QUOTE=JgcxCub;31111427]But of course, no-one is going to buy it. "it's lab grown waaaaah I only want natural stuff" they say as they type on their computers (which are organi- wait).[/QUOTE] we'll see if it tastes like shit

Reminds me of that manga Fourteen.

Not only that but it's possible to make meat from poop.

Awesome. All the bacon in the world, but without the smelly slaughter houses.

Quick, hide it before Greenpeace destroys it.

[QUOTE=Rubs10;31113312]Awesome. All the bacon in the world, but without the smelly slaughter houses.[/QUOTE] Awesome. All the bacon in the world, but without the smell of [b]real[/b] bacon.

[QUOTE=An Armed Bear;31113404]Quick, hide it before Greenpeace destroys it.[/QUOTE] Makes you wonder if the fact that it's not natural will outweigh the potential benefits to the environment and such. You know a bunch of those Greenpeace guys have got to be vegetarians.

If I could eat cheap lab-grown bacon on every bloody day, I'd die at the age of 30 due to clogged arteries, and I'd be damn happy about it too.

Surely there's some drawbacks... right?

Screw the hippies, I drive a diesel and want my damn cows slaughtered. Emissions...

wait didn't they mention something like this on one of those episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation

[QUOTE=Gekkosan;31113468]Awesome. All the bacon in the world, but without the smell of [b]real[/b] bacon.[/QUOTE] Bacon doesn't smell like a slaughter house and how do you know this bacon doesn't smell like real bacon? There's no reason they'd make it different from what everyone loves. [QUOTE=tinos;31113788]Screw the hippies, I drive a diesel and want my damn cows slaughtered. Emissions...[/QUOTE] So you don't actually want meat, you just want to kill animals?

Tube steak. :v:

Wait, there's an issue. Lab-grown meat means that less cows get butchered, therefore more cows exist on the earth to create methane emissions! [img]http://sae.tweek.us/static/images/emoticons/emot-science.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=Rubs10;31114051]So you don't actually want meat, you just want to kill animals?[/QUOTE] I prefer to call it "population control".

Now, everyone here of course knows that meat is muscle fibers, tendon, and a bit of fat (if you like your meat marbled), but here's my question: Are they going to have to "exercise" the meat to keep the actual quality of the meat up? By that, I mean run a series of electrical impulses through the meat to cause it to flex. Might be a dumb question :v:

Just as long as it's safe and good quality.

[QUOTE=ewitwins;31114183]Now, everyone here of course knows that meat is muscle fibers, tendon, and a bit of fat (if you like your meat marbled), but here's my question: Are they going to have to "exercise" the meat to keep the actual quality of the meat up? By that, I mean run a series of electrical impulses through the meat to cause it to flex. Might be a dumb question :v:[/QUOTE] I would think so, seeing as if they didn't the quality wouldn't be anywhere near as good if it would normally be, or maybe I just fail at biology.

So is this meat grown apart from an animal with a consciousness? Because if it's just meat and there's no intelligent life attached to it, I don't see how anyone could be so cruel as to want meat obtained via the traditional method.

[QUOTE=SNNS-SEAN;31114136]Wait, there's an issue. Lab-grown meat means that less cows get butchered, therefore more cows exist on the earth to create methane emissions! [img]http://sae.tweek.us/static/images/emoticons/emot-science.gif[/img][/QUOTE] ugh I hate that some people actually use this flawed argument

[QUOTE=SNNS-SEAN;31114136]Wait, there's an issue. Lab-grown meat means that less cows get butchered, therefore more cows exist on the earth to create methane emissions! [img]http://sae.tweek.us/static/images/emoticons/emot-science.gif[/img][/QUOTE] Most cows exist for butchering. If butchering stops, the cows go with it. Cows could end up in nature preserves.

I mean cows [i]did[/i] exist naturally. We've probably bred them to shit though

Pretty soon we'll be getting this. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjbqmKOGpRw[/media]

I thought this lab grown meat tasted like shit. If they can make it delicious I would eat it

What do you guys want to bet it will have the same texture as SPAM? [img]http://www.spam.com/ASSETS/0EE75B480E5B450F807117E06219CDA6/spamReg.png[/img]

[QUOTE=Rubs10;31115784]Most cows exist for butchering. If butchering stops, the cows go with it. Cows could end up in nature preserves.[/QUOTE] Where the fuck do you think milk comes from?