Vegetarian tooth proposal, credits Susana Soares

UN appeal to eat less meat to curb global warming, Guardian September 2008

Herbivores animals teeth structure are adapted to crush and grind, cows tooth image

Illustration of the surface of a carnivores and vegetarian molar, credits Susana Soares

Human stem cells, courtesy of Dr. Julie Daniels, Cells for Sigh, Institute of Ophthalmology, UCL

Veggie might

2008
Designer: Susana Soares


What if we could redesign human teeth to encourage vegetarianism using the potential of stem cell research?

 

Recent research into the effects of eating meat on global warming estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of gas emissions. In 2008 the UN made an appeal for a radical shift in diet, arguing that it would not only be good for our health, but also for the planet in general.

Teeth are an essential tool for nutrition - their shape is related to diet. Herbivore animals, for example, have developed teeth that reflect their feeding preferences and facilitate the consumption of plant material.

Could we use the potential of synthetic biology and stem cells approach engineering of biological systems to replace our teeth structure to encourage a more sustainable dietary shift?

VEGETARIAN MIGHT was developed under » MATERIAL BELIEFS based at Goldsmiths, University of London. In Material beliefs, the lab became a site for collaboration between scientists and engineers, designers, social scientists and members of the public.