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Science Stranger Than Fiction
The DISH, July 7, 2006 by John Burl Smith
Ironically sometimes maxims like "Art imitates life or truth is stranger than fiction" take on the power of prophecy. An email received June 21, 2006 entitled Test Tube Meat Nears Dinner Table verified for me the validity of these maxims, like a soothsayer. A report on Dr. Henk Haagsman, Department of the Science of Food of Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands gave scientific relevance to a strange fiction which had lived in my head since 1998.
Conjuring up images of Frankenstein, as I read that Dr. Haagsman, a highly respected Veterinary Biochemist, who has published over 80 scientific papers on cardiovascular research, the pulmonary surfactant system, regulation of proteolytic systems in muscle cells and innate mucosal defense systems of the gastro-intestinal tract, was growing meat for human consumption in test-tubes. Currently, Professor of Meat Science, he is the recipient of a 2 million euro ($2.5 million) grant from the Dutch government to grow artificial pork meat from pig stem cells. They hope to grow minced meat suitable for making burgers, sausages and pizza toppings in a few years.
The full text of this article may be found at The DISH.
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