Scientists make ‘laboratory-grown’ kidney “There is a huge amount of further research that would be needed before this is even considered in people.”

Will Monsanto Ties Influence Nutritionists’ Stance on GMOs? “To summarize, at the nation’s most prestigious dieticians’ group, failure to disclose a non-existing consulting business is enough to get you bounced from making policy on GMOs, but ties to the GMO industry aren’t. It remains to be seen what position the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics GMO paper will take, but this is shaping up to be another victory for Monsanto.”

Cyborg bugs and glow-in-the-dark cats: How we’re engineering animals  “It shows, for instance, that we imbue our pets with aesthetic value. Sometimes we want to change them just to look nice to us. Sometimes we want to change (animals) just to provide a better service to us, to produce better meat or certain kinds of drugs. Sometimes, we want to change them more out of altruism for their health.  It shows in some ways how complicated our relationships with animals are; that we simultaneously value them for what they give us, but that we also want — or think we want — them to have long, healthy lives for their own sake.  That was something I came back to again and again. The bottom line is that it reveals how complex our feelings are for other species. We don’t want to see them suffer, and yet if their suffering gives us a cure for cancer, then maybe that’s OK. It reveals that we’re deeply conflicted about the role that animals play in our lives.”

A newbie vegan asks: Should you fake your steak?  “There comes a time in every would-be vegan’s life when the question arises: to fake it or not to fake it? I’m talking about meat, and not meat meat, you guys — fake meat: various slurries concocted from beans, soy, mushrooms, and vital wheat gluten and shaped to resemble burgers, hot dogs, meat loaves, and sausages. And we mustn’t forget the other substitutes, either: vegan mayonnaises, butters, eggs, milks, and (shudder) cheeses.  So, to fake it or not to fake it? Do I need them as a protein source? Do they taste remotely like my ham ‘n’ eggs from the days of yore? Or is that missing the point of these convenience foods entirely?”

Photo credit: Jorge Franganillo via Flickr