300 years from now, when our descendants look back at slaughterhouses the way we look back at slavery

Using the idea of "cognitive dissonance" to devastating effect, William Saletan, the science correspondent of Slate magazine writes on how stem cell technology could help grow meat. He thinks it could help avoid bird flu, mad cow disease, etc., but I see a more important benefit - that of producing meat without actually putting animals through hell. It is easy for vegetarians like me to dismiss meat-eating as a practice to avoid, but is unfortunately a reality of life. So, this alternative to the traditional way of growing meat should be explored and encouraged.

The author has wasted a precious paragraph on the abilities of crows, pigeons, rats and dolphins. This space could have been better used to write more about the technology that is being developed. Notwithstanding, the idea being presented is an important one. Read on.....