Right now, most of the world's food system relies on animal agriculture. Without the farming of livestock, like cows, chickens, and pigs, there would be no meat products, like burgers, nuggets, and sausages, on the shelves. It seems simple: No farmed animals, no meat. But actually, in the future, that might not be the case.
All over the world, food scientists are embracing a new type of technology that allows them to take cells from live animals and nurture them in bioreactors with nutrients. In the bioreactors, the cells form connective tissue, muscle, and fat. In a nutshell: They become meat -- no slaughterhouses and no industrialized farms required.
This type of meat is often called cultivated meat, although it is also known as cell-based meat or lab-grown meat. It is notably different to plant-based meat, which is made with plant-based ingredients, not animal cells. If scaled successfully, cultivated meat would provide the world with protein, while reducing the number of farmed animals on the planet (and crucially, the amount of land and resources needed to sustain those animals).
But this emerging industry is not without controversy. Many are concerned about the impact that cultivated meat would have on farmers, for example, while others are not yet convinced about the safety of eating meat grown in a lab. All over the world, countries are taking different approaches to cultivated meat. Some have embraced it with open arms, while others have shut the door. Keep reading to find out more.