The Future of Fruit

March 21 2008 / by memebox / In association with Future Blogger.net
Category: Biotechnology   Year: 2015   Rating: 14 Hot

In a recent piece on the genetic modification of fruit, Future Blogger Venessa Posavec reported that “scientists have identified a gene in tomatoes, dubbed SUN, which is responsible for determining their shape,” and that “this is only a small step, but might one day make the farmer’s market a lot more interesting.”

Inspired by Venessa’s post, MemeBox designer extraordinaire, Karl Alverson, whipped up this elegant vision of some designer fruit products that may become available at your local grocery store circa 2015:

Now that scientists have isolated the appropriate genes they will work hard to manipulate them and bring concepts like these to life, literally. Such fruit forms (certainly cruder versions) may well hit store bins by the estimated 2015 target.

What do you foresee as your favorite designer fruit?

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Designer Fruits In Our Future?

March 19 2008 / by Venessa Posavec / In association with Future Blogger.net
Category: Technology   Year: 2008   Rating: 8

Imagine walking down the produce aisle at the grocery store, and deciding whether you wanted to buy an eggplant-shaped apple or cucumber-shaped nectarine. We’re not quite there yet, but the first step towards designer fruits and veggies has been made.

Scientists have identified a gene in tomatoes, dubbed SUN, which is responsible for determining their shape. To confirm their discovery, they turned the gene on or off in a series of plant-transformation experiments. Sure enough, they were able to control whether the tomato would be round or extremely elongated. Their next goal is to find a similar gene that determines the shapes of other fruits and vegetables.

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