A cow's rumen is a 40-gallon fermentation chamber containing billions of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi.

These microorganisms perform chemical reactions that modern laboratories cannot replicate at scale:

- Breaking down cellulose (plant cell walls that humans cannot digest)… pic.twitter.com/qvhKAHMvGv

— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) February 12, 2026

A cow's rumen is a 40-gallon fermentation chamber containing billions of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi.

These microorganisms perform chemical reactions that modern laboratories cannot replicate at scale: - Breaking down cellulose (plant cell walls that humans cannot digest) into volatile fatty acids that the cow absorbs for energy - Synthesizing all essential amino acids from nitrogen in the grass: turning plant protein into complete animal protein with perfect amino acid ratios - Producing B vitamins (including B12, which doesn't exist in plants) - Converting beta-carotene to retinol (true vitamin A) - Creating conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) with anti-cancer properties This is a living chemical factory. Powered entirely by grass and water. Operating temperature: 39°C, maintained naturally. No external energy input. No rare elements required. No toxic waste produced. We have spent billions trying to replicate this in laboratories with lab-grown meat. We still can't do it. We can't even come close. But lab-grown meat is the "future" of food. While we eliminate the biological system that has worked perfectly for 10,000 years. The hubris is stunning.