The woolly mammoth, a mammal of the elephant family that became extinct some 4,000 years ago, has now been harnessed to produce a giant meatball. An Australian company has identified the DNA sequence of the pachyderm's myoglobin protein. It gives meat its color, flavor, and texture, and filled in the genetic gaps with genome fragments from the African elephant, its closest living relative. They then inserted the synthesized gene into a sheep stem cell, a precursor to muscle, using an electric shock. Grown in the laboratoryThe cells multiplied until they reached about 400 grams. The result is unfit for consumption, but its creators hope to encourage responsible food production to mitigate environmental pollution.
