The world's first test-tube hamburger, made from lab-grown meat, will be served in London next Monday, August 5.

The 5-ounce burger, created by Mark Post from Maastrict University in the Netherlands, will be fed to an unknown diner whose reaction will be seen in front an invitation-only crowd.

Post isn't pursuing this project because he's a mad scientist. His ultimate goal is to develop a sustainable source of food that will meet the ever-growing demand for meat without destroying and depleting the limited resources on Earth.

The Process Starts With Stem Cells

First, muscle stem cells are harvested from the cow through a biopsy.

From there, it's raised like any other living creature. Scientists feed it a steady diet of sugars, fats, amino acids, and minerals.

The one-inch strand of muscle is also exercised.

According to the scientist, the muscle is stretched between two anchor points. "Its innate tendency to contract causes it to put on bulk, growing into small chunks of meat," they write. "Three thousand of these small chunks of meat are then fused together to create one normal-sized hamburger.

The muscle is a grayish-white color due to lack of blood cells.

However, Post plans to employ already accepted food technology methods to improve its appearance, taste, and texture to make it a bit more appetizing.

It currently costs around $384,000 to produce one hamburger.

From NASA To Your Grocery Store

This isn't a new idea. Years ago, NASA began experimenting with lab-grown meat so that astronauts might eventually have a new source of food for long space voyages.

In 2008, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) announced a $1 million reward for the first person to develop a commercially viable lab-grown meat.

Scientists all over the world are working on ways to earn that prize.

However, Post has certainly stolen all of the attention when he announced he would have cultured enough beef to make a whole hamburger.

Furthermore, the ambitious professor estimates we may see lab-grown beef in grocery stores within many of our lifetimes.

"Cultured Beef production has a long way to go and will not be on the market for some time as the technique still needs to be refined and altered to allow for mass production," according to a press release from Maastricht University. "We predict that this will be in the next 20 years


how stupid... how much does it cost to breed a cow?

Wow what's next?

test tube french fries?

maybe they will team up with Monsanto and we won't have anything natural to eat anymore...

PETA will be glad!

now they can cry about the ethical treatment of test tube meats...

PETA burgers: The not so happy meal

Think I'll stick to veggie burgers, Quiznos/Subway, or tacos on the rare occasions I choose to eat fast food

Since Monsanto tho, all food is junk food and will kill you or give you cancer

subway is great, i eat there all the time..

Is anyone else puking over the thought of lab grown meat? GRAY lab grown meat?

What brain power! Please tell me this person doesn't vote!

It will probably be as big a hit as "pink slime"

yes...and if monsanto has their way(yes, they do), then it won't be marked as test tube meat...

"Pink slime" is still meat. Just the left-overs from main cuts of meat. The stuff still stuck to the bone that might otherwise go to making soup or usually just rotting in the landfills.

The idea behind lab-grown meat is that they can avoid torturing a living, thinking animal and instead, just make the meat, itself, hopefully saving energy and time in the process. I can't say I disagree with the idea. It should taste the same, and if they can make the process cleaner and cheaper than raising and slaughtering cows, then it would be better on many levels. Also, the color would be the same, since it's made of the same matter.

I've also heard that some scientists are looking into raising insects and grinding them up for food. They wouldn't look or taste like any meat you or I eat, but it would be higher in protein and lower in fat, and some people who already eat insects say that they taste pretty good. I don't know if I could get my mind around it, but if they can make a meatloaf out of a million mealworms for a fraction of the cost, it could be cool.

I prefer knowing my steak died kicking and screaming.

Darn, I thought the McRib was lab grown.

It might be the lab rat.

I'm still waitin for the McToad sandwich. Mmmmmm.

Still, it has to be better than tofu.

if i have to eat bugs, i would just eat them live... i don't need all the other chemicals they will mix with it...

I'd have to taste it first. Maybe a smokey maple flavor would be nice.