College football kicks off this weekend around the country and many fans will be enjoying the Labor Day weekend action while eating a burger.
But in a few years the beef in your burger could be grown by scientists in a laboratory. Researchers are excited about the world's first "test-tube burger," which might happen in less than a year.
And there's a reason you should be, too.
The Daily Mail reports (via New Scientist magazine) other meats enjoyed by sports-loving fans, such as sausage, could soon follow. The world's first lab-grown sausage reportedly could be just six months away. (At least it fits better in a test tube, right?)
Does this mean the Milwaukee Brewers will have to tweak their world famous sausage race? Forget Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage, Hot Dog and Chorizo; how about "The Test-Tube"?
Here's how it works: Scientists produce the meat in huge vats from muscle cells. The microscopic cells are multiplied many times, forming a sticky tissue that feels like an undercooked egg. This substance is then fattened up in the laboratory, attached to Velcro, and stretched. Yum!
At a cost of $356,774 to produce, it's not cheap. And the "meat" is expected to have a slippery texture, like a squid. But Mark Post, a scientist from a Netherlands university, said the test tube meat could help fill food shortages around the world, solving hunger issues. With the rising population in places like China and India, and the higher costs of food inputs everywhere, this technology could be a big win for the world as a whole.
Though don't expect to see the meat in your local grocery store meat rack anytime soon. Experts say that won't happen for at least another 10 years. So this weekend, your burger will come from a cow. We think.
