April 27, 2018

A Belgian conceptual artist is working with Ethiopian to create the perfect chicken.

"Incubated Worlds, a research and breeding center in the capital Addis Ababa, will also house a permanent art installation showcasing the work of Koen Vanmechelen, including photographs, videos, and books of chickens' genetic codes. 'It's the most sexy chicken coop in the world,' said Mr. Vanmechelen, whose Cosmopolitan Chicken Project set out to create a chicken carrying the genes of all the planet's breeds. The artist told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that each successive generation of Cosmopolitan Chickens is more resilient, lives longer, and is less susceptible to diseases, proving the importance of genetic diversity.... Olivier Hanotte, a scientist with ILRI in Addis Ababa...  praised Vanmechelen for doing what scientists could not – creating a unique population of chickens that gives a snapshot of the genetic diversity of birds outside Ethiopia... 'That is a fantastic resource for us... There's no way that as a scientist I would have gotten a grant for 20 years to do this sort of experiment."

Reports the Christian Science Monitor.

25 comments:

rhhardin said...

It tastes like chicken.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

The artist told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that each successive generation of Cosmopolitan Chickens is more resilient, lives longer, and is less susceptible to diseases, proving the importance of genetic diversity....

Yeah, but how do they taste?

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Crap.

rhhardin beat me to it, and ruined my joke in the process.

Virgil Hilts said...

This reminds me of the old "What's the fastest bird in the world" joke that people used to tell, back when you could tell jokes.

Oso Negro said...

I feel amused every time I see "Free Range" chicken products for sale in the market. I travel this country extensively, and nowhere do I see massive flocks of chickens roamly freely over the prairies or through the woods. People love those brown eggs, too. They're organic.

Bob Boyd said...

"more resilient, lives longer, and is less susceptible to diseases"

But is it finger lickin' good?

Owen said...

Eat Mor Chikn!

Bob Boyd said...

Free Range means the chicken was leading a much happier, more fulfilling life when they grabbed it and cut its head off.

tcrosse said...

While they're at it they could re-choreograph the Chicken Dance.

Rick.T. said...

And its name is Colin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErRHJlE4PGI

And it sure is funky!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lCI63H1neY

Jeff said...

Yeah, but do they have the perfect road to cross?

Fernandinande said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fernandinande said...

"each successive generation...more resilient, lives longer, and is less susceptible to diseases"

Probably not true; he's been doing this for 20 years, but this chicken is 17 years old, so the "artist" wouldn't have more than one generation of old chickens if they actually lived a long time.

In any case, it's pointless and perhaps counterproductive to increase the lifespan of an animal you plan to eat.

"Africans have too much genetic variation, Amerindians too little, while Europe and East Asia are just right."

Bob Boyd said...

And now the day is come
Around we are not dickin'
Glory hallelujah!
We're building the perfect chicken

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

If you’ve ever seen the inside of a full chicken shed (the Auschwitz of agriculture) you’ll realize that just about anything else is free range by comparison. Don’t know if “free range” makes a damn bit of difference in terms of humane chicken raising or the wholesomeness of the meat. I don’t like chicken so I’m indifferent to the latter, but I do like chickens so I’m all for the former.

Fernandinande said...

"More than a scientific facility, Incubated Worlds is about harnessing diversity to promote new types of unity and harmony.

It reveals art and science as valuable partners in addressing global challenges of sustainable food systems.

[Chicken genetics] demonstrates to the world that difference can be a thing of beauty and something that society needs to survive."

Art for food! Chicken genes for unity! Harnessed for harmony! Difference for beauty, and beauty for survival! We've always been at war with Nairobi!

tcrosse said...

No more Funky Chicken ?

Bay Area Guy said...

I don't need "the perfect chicken". I just need a good chicken salad sandwich.

Mountain Maven said...

At least my tax dollars aren't funding this.

Curious George said...

Super Chicken!

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

'It's the most sexy chicken coop in the world,' to compete with new trendy sex doll brothels.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

On the way to the perfect plate of ham 'n' eggs, grits, coffee.

Clyde said...

I'm guessing no Chick-Fil-A in Ethiopia, or they wouldn't have had to go to all that trouble.

Up next: The perfect potato (for those who haven't tasted waffle fries).

Caligula said...

More disease-resistant, better egg production, good to eat: choose one?

Why would anyone think it's possible to optimize all of these when a more reasonable expectation would be that improving one is likely to degrade one or both of the other?

Jeff said...

The Big Chicken. It's big, and it's a chicken. What more could you want?

I saw the Big Chicken with my own eyes about 8 years ago. It's a thing of wonder.

I'm told it's actually in the same House district that Newt Gingrich used to represent.