cultivated food

Growing beef or chicken in a lab out of a few tiny animal cells may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but with nearly $3 billion invested in the lab-grown meat industry, that future may already be near. On the show today, we talk with food tech journalist Larissa Zimberoff about how meat is grown in a lab, why companies are banking on it as a potential climate change solution, and the challenges that lie ahead for the industry. Plus, is lab-grown food here to stay?

In the News Fix: We have a deal on the debt ceiling. We’ll get into what it all means and why the negotiating might not be over.

Later, a listener weighs in on retailer return policies, and our beloved intern gets creative with his answer to the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “Will I See Lab-Grown Meat in Supermarkets Any Time Soon?” from Bon Appétit

• • “Lab-Grown Meat’s Carbon Footprint Potentially Worse Than Retail Beef” from the University of California, Davis

• • “Silicon Valley Is Coming for Your Chocolate” from The Atlantic

• • “Inside the Battle Between Big Ag and Lab-Grown Meat” from The New Republic

• • “Here’s what’s in the debt ceiling deal” from CNN

• • “What’s in the Debt-Ceiling Deal” from The Wall Street Journal

• • “Defiant House Rejects Huge Bailout; Next Step Is Uncertain” from The New York Times

• • “House Passes Bailout Bill in 263-171 Vote” from The New York Times

We love to hear from you. Send us your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.