MIT issued a statement that the extra ear could be considered “a partial life form-partly constructed and partly grown.” The ear fits comfortably in the palm of the hand.

Last year, the same MIT lab made steaks of frog tissue grown over biopolymer mesh. They had also grown steak from the cells of an unborn sheep. And they created what they referred to as “victimless leather.” This was skin that had been artificially grown in the laboratory and was suitable for shoes, purses, belts, and other leather goods-presumably with an eye to the robust vegan market.

Several hearing-aid companies have opened talks with MIT about licensing their ear-making technology. According to geneticist Zack Rabi, “As the American population ages, many senior citizens may prefer to grow slightly enlarged, genetically modified ears, rather than rely on hearing-aid technology. A spokesperson for Audion, the hearing-aid company, noted, “We’re not talking about Dumbo ears. Just a small increase of 20 percent in pinna size would double auditory efficiency. We think the market for enlarged ears is huge. When lots of people have them, no one will notice anymore. We believe big ears will become the new standard, like silicon breast implants.”