Operator, can you get me a line?

During a recent visit to one cultivated meat company, I saw rows of beakers being gently rocked by a machine. When I asked about them, the researchers explained that they were testing the cells to see if any are hearty enough to thrive in a cold, unforgiving bioreactor.

To grow meat from cells you first need cells, but I've learned that sourcing the right cells is no simple task. And the cells…