Scientists are ditching cows to make butter from greenhouse gases

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🗞️ Driving the news: Startup Savor has developed a novel process to create butter from greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional dairy fats
• Founded in 2022, Savor claims its method is the most efficient and least polluting available, aiming to reduce agricultural land use and associated emissions
• The company has raised over $33 million and is seeking FDA approval to bring its "air-to-food" products to market

🔭 The context: The idea of synthesizing essential commodities dates back to early 20th-century innovations and wartime efforts such as Nazi Germany’s “coal butter” 
• Savor’s technology builds on these historical precedents and parallels modern efforts by companies like Novozymes and Air Protein, which also utilize captured CO2 for food production
• The innovation emerges amid a broader push for alternative proteins and fats to combat climate change and food insecurity

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Agricultural activities, including fat and oil production, contribute significantly — about 5% — to global greenhouse gas emissions
• Developing scalable, zero-emission food alternatives like Savor's synthetic butter could dramatically reduce deforestation, restore natural carbon sinks, and lower overall food-related emissions
• However, economic, social, and ecological impacts, especially on traditional farming communities, require careful consideration

⏭️ What's next: Savor’s synthetic butter has passed an expert safety review and is now pending FDA approval
• The company's immediate focus is on matching the price and taste of commodity butter to gain consumer acceptance
• Experts urge continued research into the broader economic impacts and encourage balancing innovation with sustainable improvements to existing agricultural systems

💬 One quote: “Given the various crises we face on this planet, I think you have to keep an open mind.” — Elaine Khosrova, author of Butter: A Rich History

📈 One stat: Producing lab-based dietary fats could generate about 50% less CO2 emissions than conventional butter production, according to a 2023 Nature Sustainability study co-authored by Savor’s founders

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