At the Netherlands’ Nemo science center, a massive meatball made from flesh created using DNA from an extinct woolly mammoth was unveiled.
The meatball was developed by Australian cultured meat firm Vow, which claimed it wanted to promote cultured meat as a more environmentally friendly substitute for actual meat.
According to Vow co-founder Tim Noakesmith, “We wanted to create something that was totally different from anything you can get now.” He added that another factor in the mammoth’s selection was the fact that scientists think climate change contributed to the animal’s extinction.
If we don’t act differently, Noakesmith continued, “We face a similar fate.”
A single mammoth gene termed myoglobin was inserted into sheep cells to create the meatball.
James Ryall, Vow’s chief scientific officer, stated that myoglobin is in charge of the flavor, color, and aroma of flesh.
African elephant DNA was inserted to fill in the gaps in the mammoth DNA sequence acquired by Vow.
Ryall remarked, “Much like they do in the movie Jurassic Park,” highlighting the main distinction being that they weren’t breeding real creatures.
Vow used a different method than what is typically required to create cultured meat, so no animals were harmed in the process of producing the mammoth meatball.
Currently not fit for consumption, the meatball smells like crocodile flesh.
Its protein is 4,000 years old literally. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen it. That implies that we want to subject it to extensive testing, as we would with any product we introduce to the market, according to Noakesmith.
The European Union does not yet have any laws governing cultured meat as sustenance.
By 2050, there will be a rise in meat consumption of more than 70 percent, prompting scientists to explore alternatives like lab-grown meat and plant-based meats.
