Synthetic Butter (IMAGE) University of California - Irvine Caption Melting in a cast iron pan is a pat of butter derived through a chemical process. In Nature Sustainability study, Steven Davis, UCI professor of Earth system science, and his co-authors promote the idea of making dietary fats synthetically to help limit agriculture – and its adverse climate externalities – from our food supply chain. Credit Steven Davis / UCI Usage Restrictions No restrictions. License Public Domain Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.