[Just five years ago, Upside Foods] developed a biological process to grow synthetic meat products by taking stem cells from animals and eggs; feeding those cells nutrients, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, and vitamins; and speeding up their growth in a bioreactor. Using this technique, Upside Foods has been able to produce beef, duck, and chicken at scale.
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Almost unnoticed, the synthetic biology (syn-bio, for short) revolution has begun, and is gathering real momentum. Like Upside Foods and Impossible Foods, dozens of startups are using syn-bio technologies to create new processes and products, from fabrics, flavors, foods, and fuels, to dyes, cosmetics, spices, and even data storage—in addition to, of course, blockbuster drugs. The upstarts are bioengineering products that are more durable; are sustainable, because they consume fewer resources such as land and water; generate less waste; and are usually healthier.
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Micro-organisms can make many of the things that industrial processes currently do, so they offer new ways of engineering (almost) everything that human beings consume. Companies in every industry in the world have no choice, we believe, but to come to grips with this emergent technology right away.
