Why scientists are trying to reengineer the cow’s stomach | Scientists in California are working to genetically engineer the cow microbiome — and in the process, eliminate methane emissions.

20 comments

1. I’ll note that *if* this works, it solves the methane problem, but not the land use problem associated with cattle.

2. Every time I see something about these types of solutions to climate problems I think of an amazing song by the band This Heat, “ A new kind of water- a new way of breathing – we’ve got men on the job” I encourage people to check it out, incredibly powerful song lyrically but also decades ahead of its time musically. Song is call A new Kind of water.

3. Feed the cows some seaweed.

4. How about we stop trying to reengineer the system to work with us and start working with the system.

   This planet has a human problem, not a methane cow problem.

5. Golly, I hope it doesn’t result in a price increase, because then I’d have to eat less, which would make me unhappy. I was promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and I can’t be happy without lots and lots of beef.

   /sarcasm, in case it’s not obvious

6. Orrrr you could just feed them red algae instead

7. What could go wrong?

8. how about not eating conscious beings that fear death and have emotional bonds?

9. There have always been grazers, methane, from animals is part of the carbon cycle, and has always been there. Remember when millions of grazers roamed the plains and ghgs were sky high? No.
   Fossil fuel use is what isn’t part of the natural carbon cycle and is why atmospheric ghgs are high.
   We don’t want to use less fossil fuels, so we are going to re-engineer the stomach of cows. Give me a break.

10. just feed them some kelp ffs

11. Wasn’t there a study about feeding the cattle seaweed to reduce their methane?

12. Kcuf, this is stupid.

    Also stupid is my comment being removed bc I said kcuf.

13. Believe just a little kelp in the feed goes a long way in doing that.

14. Anything but reducing consumption

15. Why, for the love of all things that are good, are we playing God with nature. At what point do we as humans have to get to in order to understand one clear message from nature: the more we mess around with nature and try to bend it to our will, the more we make this planet uninhabitable and an ecological disaster for all species. I am so frustrated to even be alive right now, knowing that as humanity inflates our narrcastic attitude towards nature, we destroy any peace and balance may bring towards all forms of life. I really do not want to be alive right now given humanities actions.

16. People will really do anything except go vegan.

    “two graduate students and a postdoc wrestled a long metal tube three feet, down into Sushi’s stomach and connected a pump.”

    Does this sound humane? Ffs, fully grown apes do not need to be drinking the milk a cow makes for it’s babies. Treat a dog anything like this and you’ll have outrage. Oh but a cow – that’s normal. 

17. Just stop eating mammals. It’s cruel.

18. Ffs, just eat plant-based products so you’re not responsible for sentient animals being “re-engineered”…

19. Or you know, just not eat meat, how difficult is that

20. This is like addiction… like when you try to use weed instead of Oxy (and instead of addressing the actual problem.)