Why It's officially the future #MEAT

Alright, So I've been slacking rather magnificently on this posting business. But I assure you, it's completely someone else's fault.

While I figure out just who to blame, here's some nifty proof that we are indeed living in the future.

Meat Band aids.

A nice article on these things was up on Gizmodo back in November. (Here) The company PR guy said he doesn't really like the term 'meat band aids' but it's fairly accurate. A band aid is an artificial scab one uses to cover and close a wound more expediently than the normal healing process would allow. However we all know the dangers of band aids - ie taking them off. As the artificial scab holds its position, the regular scab grows and accumulates under and eventually into the bandage its self. When the bandage needs to be removed, the scab and some of the replacement tissue ends up going with it. So in a vein of thought similar to that of the dissolving stitches used for surgery, someone thought up the meat band aid.

Basically, you create a little patch of synthetic tissue (using those evil evil stem cells) that won't be rejected by the patient's immune system and you slap it on the wound - typically an ulcerous or venomous wound, something that isn't healing on its own for whatever reason. After a little while the synthetic patch adheres and bonds with the living tissue surrounding the wound, and the wound stops... being a wound.

Its made by a company called Apligraf, and unlike a few other researchers (and even a whole company or two) their goal is not custom-tailored replacement organs (rejoice! ye sinful smokers and drinkers [with $12Million to spend on new organs!]) but rather mass-produced synthetic tissue.

And that's why it's officially the future, dear readers. There is officially a company in existence who's main goal is mass-production of synthetic tissues suitable for human use.

But probably not for human consumption.