Annnnnd we take one step closer to plastiskin bandages.

Remember that previous post on SCIENCE!?

Well, here you go. See how this:

At a collective Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft booth at the 2009 BIO in Atlanta, the researchers are presenting a computer model of the overall system, along with the three fundamental sub-modules. The first module prepares the tissue samples and isolates the two cell types; the second proliferates them. The finished skin models are built up and cultivated in the third, and then packed by a robot.

The researchers still have a lot of meticulous work ahead before the machine will be finished. The difference between success and failure often depends on details, such as the quality of the skin pieces, processing times of enzymes, and liquid viscosities. Furthermore, the cell cultures must be monitored throughout the entire manufacturing process in order to provide optimal process control and to allow timely detection of any contamination with fungi or bacteria. The skin factory is expected to be finished in two years. “Our goal is a monthly production of 5,000 skin models with perfect quality, and a unit price under 34 euros. These are levels that are attractive for industry,” Saxler continues.

turns to this.

Thanks to advances in biotechnology, German researchers can now rapidly mass produce swatches of real human skin. At 34 Euros per unit, this manufactured skin is so cheap you might soon find it for sale next to bandages in the pharmacy.

Not that the io9/Gizmodo article is really inaccurate; merely that it nearly caused an entirely different – and overly enthusiastic – article to be written. Way of the world and the Internet, I guess.

Moe Lane

So, they remade V.

Yes, as in V – The Original TV Miniseries*. Both Ace of Spades and Allahpundit are busily cleaning their tasty, tasty beverage of choice off of their monitors right now: watch the trailer and you’ll see why.

Normally, I’d guess that this would be completely accidental – but what the heck, ABC hired Jake Tapper, so maybe there’s one of Sy Hersh’s stay-behind VRWC Resistance cells buried deep inside Programming. All I know is, this show will either never make it past episode 3, or be still playing four years from now as sort of like a reverse West Wing. Either way, I figure that some people are getting ready to go insane on the topic any moment now.

Moe Lane

PS: I don’t make Reptoid jokes, sorry. Reptoids stopped being fun when Ickes started babbling about the Jews.

*This seems to be the major fansite.

Crossposted to RedState.

Jeebus, Stacy. Couldn’t you find a *real* beer to endorse?

Yes, indeed, Budweiser loses something when it passes through the horse’s kidneys (thank you, S.M. Stirling) – but Corona? Corona is the beer-flavored beverage of choice for your giggly coworker who hasn’t gotten over the fact yet that the bartender always makes a big deal out of putting a lime wedge in her bottle.

(pause)

Yes, that sounds incredibly dirty, in a very vague sort of way.

Anyway.  If you’re going to drink a Mexican beer, go with Negra Modelo.  Unlike its cousin, it actually is one.

[UPDATE] Dan Collins nagged me into fixing this, the pedant.

Moe Lane

PS: Regarding corporate shilling: I’m not a corporate shill for anybody, but I’ll be more than happy to discuss the matter. For MoeLane.com, at least.

Schoolhouse Rock: ‘Elbow Room.’

Because it’s never too early to indoctrinate your kid.


“Elbow Room,” Schoolhouse Rock

Once you have them smiling and clapping at the phrase “Manifest Destiny,” you’ve got them inoculated until at least the eighth grade.

Moe Lane

PS: Yes, I have heard of Schoolhouse Rock: Earth. As far as I can tell, it has gone precisely nowhere in sales. Shame.

For all your further ‘Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octupus’ star needs.

If you’re like me, you have been waiting for this day – the day that Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus came out, direct-to-video – for two years*. You have, of course, pre-ordered it – but what happens once it’s arrived, and you’ve watched it six times? What will you do then?

Why, you’ll go pick up some of the other works that the stars and director have done, of course. Continue reading For all your further ‘Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octupus’ star needs.