Awesome!  Watching this Colbert Report from March 17, 2009 was quite entertaining for myself and my TAs in our weekly class meeting! A good use of our time, I think.

As a reminder, I had posted the link to the US News and World Report article about Tissue Engineering our meat back in August.  Tissue Engineered meat has no texture, it's like snot or slime as the cultured muscle cells require stress and strain to create the fibrous texture. You should also be aware that meat also has a good portion of connective tissue fibers as well, and those are most likely missing from this engineered meat.

A side note: since Fetal Bovine Serum in the growth media is currently used to culture the meat,  it is not yet animal cruelty free.

There IS serum free media, but cells grow less able-y in this.

For any of you unsure that science is important, take a look at this video which is the compilations of opinions of scientists, science communicators and educators put together by Alom Shaha in the UK.  

Why is Science Important? from Alom Shaha on Vimeo.

When I contacted Hannah Holmes and told her I LOVED her new book, The Well Dressed Ape, and that I was going to do a video book review (pointing her to my youtube site), this is what she wrote:

"Oh my god you're like Sandra Bullock with a brain! You're ADORABLE!!!!!!!

hvh"

It's pretty cool to be "verbed".  I've had the rare comparison to Sandra Bullock and more frequently to Audrey Hepburn. I think that's sweet.  It's in our nature to categorize, isn't it? 

(I just noticed on her blog that she commented on me, calling me a magical creature from Illinois! I'm blushing! I also appreciate her pointing out that what I am doing may be the future of book reviews. I like that.)

In addition to Ms. Holmes lovely comment I had a couple of (really big) publishers contact me out of the blue about reviewing advance copies of some books!  This is fun.  I love free books!

And, this just in!  From Neil deGrasse Tyson who happened to call me "YouTubegenic":

Dear Joanne,

Thanks for the YouTube link.  Love your Chicago accent.
But I especially love the Periodic Table behind you.  I'm a big fan of the thing.

Perhaps you have seen this:
http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/read/essays/nathist/periodictablecosmos

Best to you.

-NDTyson

p.s.  I am one of what is surely many professional scientists in support of what you do.  Trust that I would say that even if you had bad things to say about "The Pluto Files"

I might just start a shrine of flatteries!

Enjoy the video.... and Hannah Holmes' book. 

Kindly, Joanne