Necessity fuels creativity : Mark Post and lab-grown meat

         Augustin Fuentes begins his book “the creative spark” by diving into the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens (or humans). He argues that the capacity for creativity is what allowed our distant ancestors to survive against all odds and evolve into the species that we are today. Our ancestors in the hominin lineage employed their unique collaborative creativity to propel their (our) species forward collectively rather than favoring individual interests. One of the main things that bred this creativity was necessity - especially the need to eat. Early Homo faced significant food scarcity challenges that forced them to make new tools and diversify their food sources in order to survive. Some examples that Fuentes mentions are tools found in Kenya (dating back to 1.9 million years ago) that were used to cut turtle shells and filet catfish, Oldowan stone tools, and Acheulean tools. The new food and tool practices developed by these early humans gave them massive advantages, such as decreased energy expenditure in acquiring food and expanding access to different sources of nutrition. The evolution of human dietary practices and tools described by Fuentes showcases a remarkable journey of creativity and innovation. Collaboration in stone tool production facilitated efficient prey processing, contributing to societal changes and improved nutrition over millions of years. The need for survival led to increased creativity and cooperation in human evolution and adaptation. 

Now, our world is reaching another point of need for creativity in order to survive. As CO2 emissions and global climate change continue to worsen and kill our planet’s ecosystems, we are beginning to realize that a more sustainable alternative to factory farming facilities and other polluting practices is needed. Lab-grown or cultivated meat is one of the creative options birthed from the need to curb climate change and save the human race. Lab-grown meat was first introduced by scientist Mark Post and his team at Maastricht University as a way to produce real meat without the need to raise and slaughter animals. His goal to create lab-grown meat stemmed from his knowledge of the inefficiency of the livestock industry and the need to ensure food security and curb methane and CO2 production. While Mark Post is a scientist who follows the rules of physics, chemistry, and so on, I think his process of making lab-cultivated meat exemplifies the power of creativity. His creative process followed the classic scientific method, using known methods of muscle cell tissue cultures to produce beef strands and repeat it several thousands of times. Mark and his team hit roadblocks such as helping muscle fibers mature without contraction, growing a large enough number of cells to mass produce meat, and trying to grow the cultures without using cow-based fetal bovine serum. Each time he tackled one of these challenges, he needed to try his new hypothesis hundreds of times, never letting failure halt the process. In the face of challenges, adapting to new discoveries and unexpected results enables scientists like Mark to explore new avenues for solutions. Adjusting methods and strategies based on feedback from previous trials is in itself a creative feat. 

While lab-grown meat is still not widely known and used, I think it will encourage other scientific creatives to brainstorm and test different ways to fight against climate change and food insecurity. Just like our ancestors at the dawn of Homo, necessity will drive us to think outside the box and develop new, unconventional ideas in order to ensure our survival. 

Sources: 

https://www.eufic.org/en/food-production/article/lab-grown-meat-how-it-is-made-and-what-are-the-pros-and-cons

TED Talk : Meet the New Meat, Mark Post

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZExbQ8dkJvc

https://new-harvest.org/mark-post-cultured-beef/