Japanese Scientist Creates Fake Meat From Human Feces?

This has been going around the Interwebs the past week, creating a shitstorm, as it were, of press coverage: A Japanese scientist has allegedly created meat from human sewage.

And of course it would. It's got exactly the right ingredients for a story to go viral: a sensational and icky claim and a video that looks credible. Fox News, and other news outlet repeated it citing the YouTube video and reported the story matter-of-factly, taking the opportunity to lob some admittedly clever toilet puns in the process.

But a few didn't take the bait and smelled BS. CNET and at least one other blogger noted that they couldn't find a trace of the scientist anywhere on the web except in references for the same story. They questioned why a Japanese scientist would label his vacuumed-packed final product "shitburger."

Perhaps the answer lies in applying Occam's razor: What's easier, more likely and more fun? Actually attempting to create fake meat from poop? Or producing a video purporting someone did?

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